Saturday, July 28, 2007, 8:00 pm
leonard Knight and his salvation mountain
PLAGUES & PLEASURES ON THE SALTON SEA is a feature documentary directed by Chris Metzler & Jeff Springer, with narration by legendary counterculture filmmaker JOHN WATERS and music by the surreal, southwestern, alt-rock supergroup, FRIENDS OF DEAN MARTINEZ.
Once known as the California Riviera, the Salton Sea is now called one of America’s worst ecological disasters: a fetid, stagnant, salty lake, coughing up dead fish and birds by the thousands. Yet a few hardy eccentrics hang on to hope, including a roadside nudist waving at passing European tourists, a man building a religious mountain out of mud and paint, beer-loving Hungarian Revolutionary Hunky Daddy, and the real-estate Ronald McDonald known simply as The Landman. Through their perceptions and misconceptions, the strange history and unexpected beauty of the Salton Sea is revealed. www.saltonseadoc.com
“Weird and wonderful.” – The New Times
“Heartbreaking, sidesplitting parade of humanity.” – Village Voice
“Historically thorough and thoroughly hysterical.” – L.A. Weekly
“An interesting, disturbing, and humorous look at environmental disaster.” – The
Berkeley Daily Planet
“A hilarious and kindly ode to a fallen paradise.” – SF Weekly
“Four stars! Offering you a vacation like you’ve never had before… in this
charming, yet sad documentary.” – Film Threat