Plagues and Pleasures on the Salton Sea

Hot Dang that doc was good! Makes me want to pack up my golf cart, bargain with the Landman about a plot of sand, then celebrate my dusty turf acquisition over a beer and sun-dried Tilapia with Hunky Daddy. Maybe even share a smoke with....everybody. The filmmakers did a great job of historically documenting the man made lake, cumulating in a the man made mistake, which ultimately put the Salton Sea on the map as an unconventional tourist resort. The doc captures the rise and demise of this desert oasis turned environmental time bomb as told through some memorable local residents. Brilliant. Great use of graphics too. I liked the use of historical footage and photographs, and some camera effects used to 'age' some new footage.

Just a short time ago I did not even know the Salton Sea existed and after seeing Plagues and Pleasures I feel like I have been there. This film tells a very interesting story about a unique place in the U.S. "Rise and fall," as put by another reviewer, captures the situation of Salton Sea area well.

The story reminds me of a local area with a somewhat parallel story (Big Cypress National Preserve in South Florida). There are similarly quirky characters and imagery of "things left behind" or "what could have been" in this area claimed by the National Park Service in the 1970's. It would be nice to see a documentary of this area done by the same team!

An entertaining and informative portrait of the myriad troubles and the wacky wonder of the sea. I've been fascinated with the place for years and am impressed by the funny yet serious approach the filmmakers took to clearly explain the complex political and environmental issues. The often off the wall locals who have created their own paradise at this troubled sea were presented with respect and love. The amazing stock footage from the sea's glamorous past contrasted sadly with today's deserted towns and fish and bird die-offs. And the sound track rocked. May 7, 2005 is the sea's centennial. Without intervention, it can't last much longer. Plagues and Pleasures should be required viewing for all California politicians. And all viewers will enjoy the strange history and unexpected beauty of this accidental sea.

I've watched the Salton Sea doc twice. I enjoyed it on several different levels. It was an eerie and exceptional sociological document. It illuminated a quirky, interesting and little known part of California history. And it was timely as far as the decline (and the 'fashion') of support for environmental issues. The film resonated with me for several days after viewing. That's more than I can say for most. This is a unique and interesting film. A strange testament to the highs and lows of development, and the fighting fringey independent spirit of desert culture - it enhanced my perspective on the people of the region. It's well worth watching.

Plagues & Pleasures is a top-notch social documentary with a cast of characters (and I mean characters) that will certainly keep movie-goers amused and engaged. But there is a substantial historical component to the film that hipper fans of historical docs will be drawn to, too. The Salton Sea itself was created by man by mistake, and evolved -- indeed, continues to evolve -- unlike any other conventional place. In fact, I could not help but think that this movie was recording the progress of some twisted, super-sized laboratory experiment that used real people, instead of mice. Trust me, this all makes for fascinating history. I highly recommend this film.