Plagues and Pleasures on the Salton Sea (2006)

SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

It is with a sense of reverence that I approach this review of the documentary, Plagues and Pleasures of the Salton Sea. The characters of the Salton Sea and their history is more than sufficient relevance for the making of this film. This is a chronicle of a place and of times both past and present. The spirit of this unusual place is alive and mutating before our eyes.That is to say that this place is very much alive, yet not in the way it once was. All manner of subjects are covered in regard to the history of the Salton Sea resort area, which is fascinating in and of itself. The imagery is stunning and at times, jarring. I feel the filmmakers' passion for this project, even as some of the footage plays out in strangely surreal backdrops and a sense of bewilderment. All of this is delivered with a healthy dose of heart and hope. For me, the real intrigue lies in the delightful characters- introspectively and candidly captured as they go on with their day-to-day. It depicts residents who refuse to let a dream die as they continue to live out their lives in this post-glamorous community. As the whole story comes into clear focus, the irony of it will challenge the most jaded critics not to laugh out loud, as I indeed did. The portrayal of this resort anomaly made me want to move there, which I admit is kind of disturbing. Happening upon this documentary on my local PBS station, I was immediately enamored. After viewing the DVD, I was thrilled to find the extras included vintage promo films of the resort from back in the day (as well as the Theatrical Release which is a bit longer than the TV broadcast version). Narrated by none other than Mr John Waters in a clever, expert, somewhat snarky manner, one gets the impression that he too is in awe of this place and its people. A brilliant choice of speakers to compliment this other-worldly tale of broken dreams and desires for a slice of the American dream. A dream that began as a mistake in the first place.

This is a really well done documentary for anyone who's concerned about what's happening to our planet. This documentary is a "must see." I grew up in California, but never knew that much about the Salton Sea or it's history as a resort. This documentary really puts it all together: the interviews with the residents, in great contrast to the past historical glory days. It's a wonder how people can survive out there, and it'll be a wonder if the "sea" can survive and revive. Once you've seen it, you'll understand how difficult it is to get a Goliath like our government to move forward, and help people who really want to do the right thing. It is a small part of the bigger puzzle that more people need to become aware of, but important, none the less: wake up and smell the global warming! Lori Sandler, DragonHorse Studio, http://dragonhorsestudio.com

As a former resident of this inland sea, i have to give kudos to the filmmakers for their creepy and (sadly) accurate portrait of this overlooked "phenomena" that lies just beyond metropolitan southern California's back door. this film should be mandatory viewing for every greedy, ignorant politician in this corrupt state. i doubt any happy wanderer who happens to drive by or fly over this huge body of water could ever begin to grasp what goes on within and around the seaside communities this documentary focuses on. when i moved there from orange county i jokingly referred to the Salton sea as the ugly pink underbelly of southern California desert life. watching "plagues and pleasures" brings this to light...and all too well. its the kind of film you can laugh along with, and at the same time it can depress the hell out of you. the directors mention "if only Sonny Bono hadn't gone skiing that day." how true. i'd like to add "if only they discovered oil at the Salton sea." if only our state bureaucrats would decide to "clean up their own backyard" before its too late... Metzler & Springer get two sunburned thumbs-up for this one... - Bill Herzog

I had the pleasure of watching this movie over the weekend. I've seen a couple of shorts on the Salton Sea in the past. My wife used to party there so I also have a personal history to draw upon. She watched it with me as well. This piece is a well balanced look at the beginnings of the sea as well as great footage of the heyday. The locals are presented in a less tabloid manner than the previous shorts I've already mentioned. I am drawn to the plight of the residents and will at some time make the trip just to see it for myself. This movie further solidifies my resolve for this trip. It is a documentary that is pretty evident in it's purpose to portray an even handed opinion. It also lists, to a degree, the pluses and minuses on whether CA should spend the money to reclaim the area. I think it's the best piece I've seen on the sea, to date. I'd recommend it to anyone who is interested in the sea or just likes personal interest stories about people who just refuse to give up when everything around them tells them they should.