An unmarked grave in Julian, CA. A shattered adobe house on top of Ghost Mountain in the Anza Borrego Desert. They are all that is left of one family’s utopian experiment. The story of eccentric artist and writer Marshal South, and his family’s 14 years in the wilderness is compelling and controversial. Originally told in the pages of Desert Magazine by the Souths themselves, the story is now illuminated in a documentary DVD made by two veteran filmmakers: director/producer John McDonald and cinematographer Stuart Asbjornsen.

This extraordinary 15-minute documentary was made over an 8-month period on super-16mm film, a widescreen format, and transferred to high definition video.  The film, entitled Ghost Mountain:  An Experiment in Primitive Living, screens daily in the theatre of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park’s Visitor Center. This is a work of art and you will love it.

Click here to see an introduction to the film. You will need Flash 8 to view the film. If you don't have it your browser will prompt you to download it, this is an easy update. It is best view with a DSL or cable connection.