Plagues and Pleasures on the Salton Sea 2007

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.