A term that has gained a lot of currency in the past couple of decades is “abandoned.” There are hundreds of social media accounts dedicated to abandoned things. New websites and art books about them keep springing up. Abandoned things from the mid-20th century are especially popular. Buildings that seemed futuristic when they were built now show signs of decay and are being reclaimed by nature. Much of this is spurred by economic conditions, but other examples are clearly the result of climate change. One of the best examples of this is the Salton Sea. It was created in 1901 when an irrigation ditch was installed to create new farmland. Heavy rains caused the irrigation ditch to overflow in 1905, creating a body of water of 15 by 35 miles.

By the 1950s this body of water (in the middle of a desert) had become a hot new resort destination. Waterfront lots were prime real estate, and the climate was perfect for summer fun all year round. It was nicknamed The California Riviera. In the 1950s and ‘60s it attracted more tourists than Yosemite Park. By the 1970s the lake was shrinking. Chemicals from local farms were killing off the wildlife. The place began to reek of dead birds and fish. Although many businesses and homes were abandoned, a surprisingly large population of eccentrics decided to stick it out. The whole setup was turning into a real-life John Waters movie, so when the time came to make a documentary about the place who better to narrate than the Pope of Trash himself?

Plagues & Pleasures on the Salton Sea (2004) explores the history of the area. Comparing the vintage footage with the current reality is best summed up by Waters’ description of the area as “where Utopia meets dystopia.” One resident quips that it often hits 120 degrees there, “but that’s why we have air conditioners.” Given how deserted the place looks, it’s surprising that they still have the electricity to run them. Another resident describes the place fondly as “The world’s greatest sewer.” Early on, another resident points out that the fishing is great: “the hotter the water, the better the fishing.” Cut to a second resident who remarks that eating those fish causes botulism.

The film proceeds at a leisurely pace as it introduces the audience to the people who chose to stay. One woman who looks like a suburban grandmother (in her suburban living room) offers that the Salton Sea is “more saltier” than the ocean and that swimming in the muck “heals your skin.” We meet a lot of people along the way. Most of them are resigned to the current reality, but a surprising number of old timers hold out hope that the area will revive. The most colorful character is an old Hungarian freedom fighter who calls himself Hunky Daddy. Fans of Outsider Art will recognize Salvation Mountain. Leonard Knight began his project of building an artificial mountain in 1984. As of 2020 it was still standing. The film ends with the closing of the last diner in town. For fans of the abandoned aesthetic, the big surprise is how many people decided to stick it out.