Plagues and Pleasures on the Salton Sea

Year: 2007

Runtime: 74 min

Language: English

Directors: Chris Metzler, Jeff Springer

Documentary

This documentary explores the Salton Sea, a former oasis in Southern California now facing environmental challenges. Through a blend of history, politics, and ecology, it portrays a quirky and resilient community of individuals who have made their lives amidst the decay. The film offers a humorous and often hair-raising look at the enduring American spirit and the consequences of environmental disaster on an unlikely shore.

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Fabulously eccentric and joyfully vibrant, this endearing film invites viewers into the quirky world surrounding the Salton Sea, a unique inland body of water notorious for massive fish die-offs, decaying resorts, and sweltering nights that soar to 120 degrees—all just a stone’s throw from urban Southern California. The award-winning documentary directed by Chris Metzler and Jeff Springer explores the Salton Sea’s transformation from its glory days as the “California Riviera,” where boaters and the Beach Boys basked in paradise, to its current status as a neglected ecological nightmare.

From wonderland to wasteland, PLAGUES & PLEASURES ON THE SALTON SEA reveals a locale far more captivating than the standard shopping malls and parking lots typical of suburban America. Within this peculiar community, an array of characters—such as a beer-guzzling Hungarian revolutionary, a senior nudist, and a fervent religious devotee constructing a monument to God—find strength and camaraderie amid the chaos.

Richly and amusingly narrated by the eccentric filmmaker John Waters, and complemented by the music of desert lounge band Friends of Dean Martinez, PLAGUES & PLEASURES ON THE SALTON SEA is a fascinating blend of high camp and gritty reality. It delivers a poignant message about the repercussions of meddling with nature while simultaneously offering a heartwarming narrative of individuality and community spirit.

Last Updated: November 04, 2024 at 00:34

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