After 39 years, I finally found a path to the solution. The book version of the puzzle and the movie version (VHS or Beta) use different paths to the solution.
One overall book solution is based on using the map to assemble what amounts to a quasi-mechanical device, combining the results of extracting relevant strings of letters from the body of the text in several chapters, after manipulating this text by following rules hidden in the double meaning of sentences. A large number of sentences are self-referential. While telling a coherent story these sentences provide raw text to be manipulated and information about how it should be manipulated.
A new, much simpler book solution was added in October 2025. This solution is based on colors.
The video version of the puzzle is also based on using the map (arrows and border track), but the relevant text is essentially obtained from a manipulation of the chapter titles.
Solutions to book version
The following documents (pdf) provides the full, step by step solution. The are two different solutions proposed. The first one (now in version 2) was developed a few years ago and is rather complex. The second one was added recently (color solution, version 1) and has a nice simplicity to it that may indicate that this is the intended solution.
(Version 2 added 2023-12-04)
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New! COLOR Solution to book version
(Version 1 added 2025-10-12)
jplabonte 
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