‘Salton’: a mistake of a lake
Between Palm Springs and the Mexican border lies a vast area “where Utopia and the apocalypse meet to dance a dirty tango” -- the Salton Sea. The result of engineering errors a century ago, the inherent contradictions of the largest saline lake in California are enthusiastically celebrated in “Plagues and Pleasures on the Salton Sea.”
Chris Metzler and Jeff Springer’s documentary, narrated by John Waters, traces the evolution of the sea from its creation when Colorado River flooding overwhelmed man-made irrigation systems, through its heyday as a booming recreation spot in the ‘50s with imported ocean fish, to its current shambles. Natural disasters all but obliterated the dream of a vacation paradise, with major storms in the ‘70s signaling “the last vestige of the good times,” according to one resident.
Now the area is perhaps best known for its routine fish die-offs, in which millions can perish in a day because of the high salt content; the similar fate of birds that feast on fish in which the salt and heat incubate botulism; and the stench accompanying it all. Yet endangered species depend on it, fishing remains abundant, and many residents love its peacefulness, steady weather and distance from urban bustle.
The filmmakers use graphics imaginatively and include great time-capsule footage of promotional films from the ‘50s, bittersweetly capturing that era’s enthusiasm. Other vivid images include heaps of dead fish lining the shores and destroyed cars and basketball hoops not merely rusted but devoured by oxidation. There are empty intersections of dusty streets with names like “Sea Elf” and “Treasure.”
The documentary’s focus is on the people who’ve chosen to stay. A jolly, pompadoured Hungarian immigrant claims to be a former freedom fighter and curses like a foreign sailor. A roadside nudist praises the area’s laissez-faire attitude as he waves to motorists. One man is building “Salvation Mountain” -- a huge adobe hill, painted with Christian messages.
Recent water-diversion plans would rob the Salton Sea of its primary source (agricultural runoff that would instead be used by cities like San Diego), and despite claims by some in the film, it receives contaminants from the New River, one of the most polluted rivers in America. The film discusses preservation efforts by the late Sonny Bono and others but is unfortunately fuzzy on the details.
Although ill-served by the lack of expert voices or elaboration on viable choices, “Plagues and Pleasures” is an often-fascinating document of change -- incremental as evaporation, or catastrophic as flooding.
“Plagues and Pleasures of the Salton Sea.” Unrated. Running time: 1 hour, 22 minutes. Exclusively at Laemmle’s Grande, 345 S. Figueroa St., downtown L.A. (213) 617-0268.