Plagues and Pleasures on the Salton Sea at the Red Vic

Narrated by John Waters, this excellent documentary tells the story of the Salton Sea, one of America's worst ecological disasters. Created accidentally after an engineering error in 1905, the Salton Sea is not actually a sea but a man-made lake that has since taken on a life and a lore all of its own. By the 1950s, it had been transformed into a world-class vacation spot but it was later abandoned as hurricanes, dying fish and floods turned it into a malodorous reminder of the lake's unnatural origins. What remains is a population of eccentrics who struggle to keep the dream of the community alive, although its fate remains uncertain as the land is being threatened by Southern California's growing megalopolises. PLAGUES AND PLEASURES covers the economic, political and environmental issues implicit to the plight of the sea, but it is also a hilarious, off-beat, and delightful portrait of an endearing and unique cast of characters reminiscent of the folks in Errol Morris' classic Vernon, Florida.
Directed by Chris Metzler and Jeff Springer.

Plays with 10 min. short, LSD-A-GO-GO (dir. Scott Calonico).

Showtimes: Nightly 7:15, 9:15; Sat & Sun: 2, 4; Wed: 2