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A Book About a Film

C.W. Schultz (Goodreads Author)

4.31 · Rating details · 13 ratings · 9 reviews

Duality, humiliation, mass media violence, materialism and sexism are just a few of the many themes found in C. W. Schultz’s work. In his fourth book, Schultz focuses on the most mysterious yet inevitable topic of all… death.

A BOOK ABOUT A FILM is a matchless thriller revolving around the low-budget neo-noir movie called THE CORNFIELD PEOPLE, which follows journalist Joe F ...more

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Paperback, Second edition, 268 pages

Published September 8th 2015 by Hillsbury Publishing

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Sep 09, 2015 Joanie Chevalier rated it it was amazing

Shelves: parody-satire-humor

C.W. Schultz is a brilliant author. Or is he? Writing a book about a film about Joe Fisher’s experience while investigating the Cornfield People, a secret society that knows the meaning of life and what comes after death, calls for a medal of bravery or dare I say it aloud, a badge of stupidity. There are many out there who believe that anything written about this subject is a threat and even those interviewed advised not to release the book due to safety issues. Because of this, I am not re C.W. Schultz is a brilliant author. Or is he? Writing a book about a film about Joe Fisher’s experience while investigating the Cornfield People, a secret society that knows the meaning of life and what comes after death, calls for a medal of bravery or dare I say it aloud, a badge of stupidity. There are many out there who believe that anything written about this subject is a threat and even those interviewed advised not to release the book due to safety issues. Because of this, I am not really the reviewer/author named Joanie Chevalier. I don’t want my life threatened in any way; I love my life. Therefore, I hacked into Ms. Chevalier’s computer and I shall remain anonymous. This is all I care to say on this subject.

Just like the man on camera, I too, enjoy an apple martini every now and then and now I have the knowledge of things that are better left unknown. But is this a gift or a curse? Just like any good reviewer, I analyzed the research given about the Cornfield People and noticed that some called it a cult. Cults are scary and while I appreciate the fact that the author couldn’t get his book properly edited out of fear, it is a crime to subject readers to the kind of erRors we were burdened with. That, and the hundreds of footnotes which were reminiscent of expensive heavy college textbooks.

The author dared to state his opinion in Fn. 98 [or was it Fn. 96?] that Cornfield Persons are clowns. Reading in context, the author wrote, “these Cornfield Persons look like a bunch of clowns.” I respectfully write this in quotations so that certain persons would know it was not me who originally dare write these words down on paper. However, coming to the defense of C.W. Schultz, I concluded from the author’s other remarks that this was probably a cover up for his true fear. Writing about red-herrings is probably a cover up too, with Mr. C.W. Schultz presenting us with a “journal,” a silly “song,” and a “word search” (email me if you too find the phrase “Cornfield People are Clowns” diagonally and backwards in the red herring word search).

The Cornfield People are a proud society and was formed over a hundred years ago. I dare you to google who was alive back then; you may be surprised. Read the book. See for yourself. Find the answer to the question: Is it possible to hang yourself with a coat hanger? Only C.W. Schultz can bring that answer to light as he courageously researches and writes, A Book About A Film. I commend you Mr. C.W. Schultz. Thank you for giving me more questions than answers.

Fn. 56 [Note: Footnotes 1 through 55 must NOT be read by the public.] The day after I finished the book, I noticed a suspicious looking man dressed in a burlap sack (I just thought he was homeless, sorry) eagerly looking over my shoulder as I was typing the review during my lunch break while sitting on a bench at the park. The next day I found a sheet of paper under my windshield. All it had were five symbols, drawn in red crayon: stars. I took this to mean only one thing – to rate this book 5 stars . . . or else. I rest my case. Fade to Black. ...more

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Sep 10, 2015 Namrata Ganti rated it really liked it

This is a narrative about the plot of the above said film which is said to be lost while some think of it as an urban legend. The plot of the film is explained in a manner that prompts the reader to visualize each scene. The author not only describes the setting, but also talks about the camera angle and each character’s current position in the scene. Added to this are annotations where the author has interspersed his research along with the thoughts and quotes from several well-known film-make This is a narrative about the plot of the above said film which is said to be lost while some think of it as an urban legend. The plot of the film is explained in a manner that prompts the reader to visualize each scene. The author not only describes the setting, but also talks about the camera angle and each character’s current position in the scene. Added to this are annotations where the author has interspersed his research along with the thoughts and quotes from several well-known film-makers, writers, producers and others in the field of film-making.

The story is intriguing, dealing with a group of people who claim to know the truth about life and what comes after death. We do however, meet some characters who are portrayed as cold and calculating. The bottom-line of the plot comes down to protecting a secret for the greater good, to protect mankind and the extent to which people can go to accomplish this. There are many references to breaking the fourth wall and how the characters are seemingly aware of their audience. This has been described in detail and analyzed in several instances. The author has made sure to bring out these points quite clearly.

The principal character, a journalist by profession is shown as intelligent with a slight sense of humor reflected when he encounters different situations while he has been tasked with investigating the Cornfield People. There are instances when we see the analysis provided while trying to narrow down a time frame or period for when this film may have been taken. With little to no information, these first hand and second hand reports add some mystery to the book. The story does fall a little flat at times where a sense of mystery is created but the author doesn’t go deeper with the explanation. However, this does not take away from the beauty of the overall idea.

The reader, through this narrative is in for an interesting read whereby the author ensures that he/she will go away with enough knowledge about this film that they will start their own research into it. Judging by the story, this would indeed be a classic film to watch. A rather well-written book, this story about a film will spark the interest of the reader and create awareness about the film. ...more

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Sep 09, 2015 Nick Rossi rated it it was amazing

It doesn’t get more meta or self-referential than this. C.W. Schultz’ original and effervescent work A Book About A Film is subversion at its best. It beckons the dream-like quality of Fellini’s masterpiece 8 1/2 with a touch of Grey Gardens. It’s like that great movie M. Night Shyamalan has yet to make.

I absolutely do not want to spoil the narrative for any prospective readers. I will say, however, that Schultz’ uncanny ability to write a work that has an inherent momentum which does not lose a ...more

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Aug 10, 2016 Shrilaxmi rated it really liked it

Shelves: review-copy, favorites

I recieved a free copy of this book from the author.

To be honest, this book was one of the most entertaining and thrilling books I've ever read. Even more so because of what it concerns - a lost film about a secret society that knows the meaning of life and will do anything it takes to protect it. Really. Who wouldn't want want to read that? What makes it even more exciting and thrilling is the possibility howsoever small, that this society is in fact real. From the characters to the footnotes ...more

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Apr 08, 2018 Natalie rated it it was ok

Shelves: metafiction, speculative-fiction-and-sci-fi, just-bloody-awful, read-in-2018, silver-screen

Don’t rip off House of Leaves and do it this badly.

Don’t rip off House of Leaves and be this predictable.

Don’t rip off House of Leaves and then mention House of Leaves on the SECOND PAGE of the book.

Don’t make your “hidden” messages so bloody obvious and then admit that you hid messages in the manuscript.

Read House of Leaves or Night Film instead.

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Sep 14, 2015 For the Love of Books rated it really liked it

A Book About a Film starts off with an excellent premise. What if people who had near death experiences learned something from their time on the other side? This was the plot of an excellent independent film called The Cornfield People. All the reports on the film indicated it had every chance of becoming a modest success, if not a cult classic. But there's a problem. When the film was nearly done, it was shelved. Mysteriously.

The copies of the movie that exist are legendarily hard to find. But A Book About a Film starts off with an excellent premise. What if people who had near death experiences learned something from their time on the other side? This was the plot of an excellent independent film called The Cornfield People. All the reports on the film indicated it had every chance of becoming a modest success, if not a cult classic. But there's a problem. When the film was nearly done, it was shelved. Mysteriously.

The copies of the movie that exist are legendarily hard to find. But everyone who is anyone in film has an opinion about this one. The film has found its way into the hands of Spielberg (theoretically) and Tarantino (citation needed) and many more. So it seems only natural that our author writes a book about the film after being lucky enough to see it. And that's when things start getting weird.

Much like Danielewski's House of Leaves, this book relies on the footnotes to tell the story within the story. The story is not just the synopsis of the movie. It's the things people have speculated. It's the photos and articles that prove what happened. It's even the typos in the document itself, which increasingly seem to be a code to another story entirely.

I actually got to the point when I wondered if the book was based on an actual movie. But aside from three posts on a movie blog, I couldn't find any mention of it online. But this book's level of detail makes it seem increasingly real. Didn't you hear something about this in a trade journal? Wasn't this person in a fluff piece in a local newspaper?

It’s the pictures, news clippings, and diary entries about those things that turn this into something more than just a good suspense thriller. If you just read the book the author thought they were writing, you'd think everything turned out. That it all wrapped up in a neat little package. But as you read on, you realize that the bigger questions are still out there.

About a Film never enters abstract madness the way Leaves did. But it does get your heart racing as the pace accelerates, and the lines between fiction and reality gently blur. And I loved every bit of it. ...more

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Nov 11, 2015 Dhiraj Bharude rated it really liked it

A Book About a Film
by C. W. Schultz
Paperback –1026rs
I absolutely do not want to spoil the narrative for any prospective readers. I will say, however, that Schultz’ uncanny ability to write a work that has an inherent momentum which does not lose any steam is revelatory. I’ve read a lot of books that borrow elements from various genres that attempt to amalgamate them into a piece that will appeal to all demographics. A Book About a Film, however, is heads and shoulders above its subversive prede ...more

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Sep 14, 2015 Daniel Wise rated it it was amazing

This book was accidentally delivered to me. Having nothing better to do I did read through it. Painfully obvious this is a work of fiction and there was never a movie about the Cornfield People and likely never an article called The Truth and No Room for Debate.

Case closed.

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Jun 22, 2016 Norman Coe rated it it was amazing

This book is by a talented writer trying to convince the reader that The Cornfield people do not exist. We know that they do, he may even be the father. Nice try Mr. Schultz.

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About C.W. Schultz

C.W. Schultz

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C. W. Schultz is an American author who was born in Seattle, WA on January 24, 1985. On July 5, 2007, Schultz’s debut novel “YEVAL” was released, a story which came to be through a script Schultz had written for a film. Schultz, being a major animal lover, started 2008 with a short-lived blog about bird care for the fallen Seattle Post-Intelligencer called “BIRDIE BASICS”, but soon resigned due to ...more