Clip from the Sundance Channel documentary Portrait of a Bookstore as an Old Man: The Candle Haircut

In this clip, George Whitman, owner of the Paris bookshop-commune Shakespeare & Company, burns his hair to avoid an ordeal at the barber. It is taken from the documentary described below with a synopsis in English, French, Italian, Spanish, Catalán and Dutch. The film was made by Benjamin Sutherland and Gonzague Pichelin. See www.SonikChromatik.com for more information.
ENGLISH
PORTRAIT OF A BOOKSTORE AS AN OLD MAN
In 1951, George Whitman opened a bookshop-commune in Paris. George, 92, still runs his den of anarchists disguised as a bookstore, offering free, dirty beds to poor literati, cutting his hair with a candle and gluing the carpet with pancake batter. More than 40,000 poets, travelers and political activists have stayed at Shakespeare and Company, writing or stealing books, throwing parties and making soup or love while living with George's generosity and fits of anger. Illustrious guests include Henry Miller, Anaïs Nin, Jacques Prévert, Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs, Gregory Corso, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, James Baldwin and Richard Wright. Welcome to the makeshift utopia of the last member of the Beat Generation.
FRENCH
GEORGE AND CO : PORTRAIT D'UNE LIBRAIRIE EN VIEIL HOMME
En 1951, George Whitman ouvre une librairie communautaire à Paris. A 92 ans, il thrône encore dans ce "repaire d'anarchistes camouflé en librairie". 40 000 hôtes, activistes et voyageurs y ont séjournés. George leur offre un lit sale, leur demande d'écrire un livre, d'astiquer le sol, de chasser les intrus et de préparer la soupe. George aboie sur ses gens, se coupe les cheveux à la bougie et colle sa moquette avec de la pâte à crêpe. Claquemuré dans son échoppe labyrinthique, il a encouragé, nourri et logé le gotha littéraire : Henry Miller, Anaïs Nin, Jacques Prévert, Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs, Gregory Corso, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, James Baldwin et Richard Wright. Prenez place. Entrez dans l'utopie rapiécée du dernier des beats.
ITALIAN
RITRATTO DI UNA LIBRERIA IN UN VECCHIO SIGNORE
Nel 1951, George Whitman apre una libreria-comunità a Parigi. George, a 92 anni, è ancora lì nel suo covo di anarchici travestito da libreria, ad offrire giacigli impropri (ma gratuiti) a intellettuali squattrinati, a tagliarsi i capelli con le candele ed a incollare la moquette con la pasta per le crêpes. Più di 40.000 poeti, viaggiatori e militanti sono stati ospiti di Shakespeare and Company, dove hanno potuto scrivere o rubare libri, improvvisare feste, fare la zuppa o lamore, tra la generosità e gli accessi dira di George. Ospiti illustri quali Henry Miller, Anaïs Nin, Jacques Prévert, Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs, Gregory Corso, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, James Baldwin e Richard Wright. Benvenuti nellutopia casalinga dellultimo dei Beats.
SPANISH
RETRATO DE UNA LIBRERÍA COMO UN HOMBRE VIEJO
En 1951, George Whitman abrió un librería-comuna en París. A sus 92 años George todavía regenta su madriguera de anarquistas camuflada de librería, ofreciendo sus camas sucias, pero gratuitas, a poetas malditos, cortándose el pelo con una vela y pegando la alfombra con batido para crêpes. Mas de 40.000, escritores, viajeros y militantes políticos han estado hospedados en Shakespeare and Company, escribiendo o robando libros, montando fiestas, haciendo sopa o el amor, viviendo de la generosidad de George y aguantando sus ataques de furia. Entre sus ilustres huéspedes se incluyen: Henry Miller, Anaïs Nin, Jacques Prévert, Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs, Gregory Corso, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, James Baldwin y Richard Wright. Bienvenidos a la utopía improvisada del último miembro de la Generación Beat.

[@JE56777]

I have to meet this guy. that was hysterical

[@Satchel334]

Crazy!