Customer Reviews

FILMING CASTANEDA: THE HUNT FOR MAGIC AND REASON

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

There are very few books this bad that actually get into print. Amy Wallace's book does have some insight, because Wallace did had a relationship with Castaneda. But Geuter's book can't have any insight because she had no more knowledge or contact with Castaneda than any of the thousands of people who attended his workshops over the years. Geuter is one those small, sad people who will follow *any* celebrity around in the hope of scamming something out of it.

The "previously unpublished photographs" in the book consist mainly of small, grainy pictures of Castaneda and company entering and leaving Castaneda's house. That's it. The pictures have brilliant captions like "Carlos in front of his house" and "Taisha in front of Pandora Gate". Wow!

Geuter's writing is actually hilarious because she obviously considers herself a cross between Leslie Stahl and Eudora Welty. Here's a quote from the first chapter:

"I was searching one slow seething afternoon, driven by memories of empty choking village Sundays when after church service and lunch not even the linden trees ventured to stir..." (sentence continues for several years.)

Or:

"Another subtle season in the city appears when the asphalt on the street bubbles in the lick of the sun oozing a smell utterly place specific."

The book consists almost entirely of gems like that. She doesn't even seem to understand the basic rules of English grammar, or how to logically connect two ideas together. In fact, reading the book, you get the clear impression that she really has no interest in Castaneda, but is kind of a spokesperson for creative writing classes at the Learning Annex.

Geuter's formula seems to have been:
1) Alimony + generous gifts from male companions. The only clear photo in the book is one of herself, with a caption that states that she was a "performance artist" in the 80's, and now lives in California with her daughter and grows vegetables. I'm guessing that generous gifts from a string of male companions has supplemented the vegetable growing.
2) Follow celebrities around in the hope of turning a "Brush with Greatness" into a book deal.

This book is only interesting if you have ever wondered what goes through the "mind" of one of the infinite number of discarded professional girlfriends who live in and around L.A. Hey! There might be a book in that!

There are some bits of information here for hardcore Carlosites. But the writing is beyond bizarre. Terribly written, evidently unedited, plagued by a secondary personal narrative that begs to be skipped over, it would have been infinitely better if Gaby had followed Castaneda's dictum of erasing personal history and stuck to the topic at hand. English is evidently not her first language, grammar and spelling errors are the rule rather than the exception. The book is inadvertantly hilarious in places but does make a nice afterward or forward to Amy Wallace's more compelling and better written tell all. If you're interested in the rise and fall of Carlos and his inner circle you'll want to read FILMING CASTANEDA. Keep your expectations low and you might not be too disappointed.

I enjoyed reading this book immensely. I did not expect to find an engrossing story written with expertise about the author's interaction with Carlos Castaneda, the man of many mysteries. Having never met Castaneda, but only read his books, it was tremendously interesting peeking into his everyday life and seeing photographs of him and the people surrounding him.
What struck me was how Carlos never noticed the two people following him around secretly for two years. And realising the all to human end of the magical creature that I had assembled in my mind was sobering, yet somehow comforting. I also appreciated the restraint of the author of not adding any second hand information to her book. All in all, I can heartily recommend this book. A good read, satisfying the mind and the heart.

I bought this book with low expections (especially after ordering "I Was Carlos Castaneda"...don't go there, folks). It was actually quite good. The writer gives us a sneak peek at what went on in the underbelly of Castaneda-Land. For anyone who has followed this guy for the last 30+ years, it is interesting to know about such details. Same goes for the book by Amy Wallace. Both dish out a good taste of reality. Once you get beyond the initial shock you'll be glad you read them. You may also want to check out the website dedicated to the ongoing debate (www.sustainedaction.org). This will leave you hungry to buy more books!

I found filming castaneda to be the most compelling book I have read for quite some time. It really gives a glimpse into the life of Castaneda. I highly recommend this book for anyone who is curious about the private life of Carlos Castaneda and his inner circle. The Author keeps you on the edge of your seat with her adventure of spying on castaneda. The pictures are a huge bonus to this book.

Wow what a ride. I read the book in one shot. If you have read Castaneda's books and been interested/obsessed with his work, you will enjoy "Filming Castaneda". The story told here is remarkable and needed. It does demystify the man behind the wonderful stories and grounds us. Castaneda becomes "accessible" and real through this book. This does not take anything away, if anything Castaneda's very human side makes him more compelling than before. That being said, it appears that to have been part of Castaneda's circle would be hellish at best; the ultimate gift might have been to be released from it.
Filming a man who made his business not to be photographed was at first glance a bit unsettling to me since why not leave the sorcerer alone? The author was nothing short of bold, but given half a chance, I would have been in that car doing the same thing.

A great book for Carlos Castaneda fans. I wonderful, well written persepctive of Carlos as viewed from the other side.

The author has done everyone interested in Carlos Castaneda's works a great service with this important work. A must read!

The shunting structural form of Filming Castaneda failed mostly to dislodge my attention, which is surprising given the extent to which one is often transported. I wasn't able to assume that Greg and Gabi's presence went undetected from the start, but that hardly matters. It wasn't a case of the Papparazzi vs the Princess; more the need to fulfill a natural curiousity about the fabled man's life ... Someone had to do it, and I would've recommended this pair for the job had I to chose. I would like to see something from this author in the way of fiction ... soon!