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Short summary

A man, disillusioned with his life and bored by his surroundings, mysteriously finds himself in a barren desert. After making his way back to civilization, and encountering a handful of local personalities, the man decides to abandon his former life and reinvent himself as the owner of a junkyard in a ghost town. After his initial euphoria subsides, loneliness and boredom set in, and the man is compelled to spend a few days in a nearby town. There he meets a waitress and her brother, who introduce him to another form of desert existence.

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    • Author: Cemav
    Several years ago while returning to Los Angeles from a winter vacation in Las Vegas, I drove a little out of the way to see a less-traveled side of Death Valley. Along this route, I passed the small town of Trona, California. It was the most desolate place I had ever seen. Small sun-bleached houses dotted the landscape, many boarded up and abandoned. There were no visible restaurants or hotels. Sitting adjacent to a dry lake bed, Trona is permanently covered in dust. I drove slowly along the main street and spotted an old gas station. I parked and took a walk. A large factory loomed in the town center. It was clear that Trona started as a mining town. The lake bed would have to be a great source of minerals. Perhaps Trona had once thrived? But that would have been long ago. Today, Trona emits neglect and a silent eeriness. I was fascinated...

    This is the backdrop for the movie of the same name. We are introduced to the main character, a middle-aged man returning to Los Angeles from a business trip. He is a heavy drinker, and suffers from loneliness. He wants to escape his unhappiness and get away from it all. He ponders making a detour and suddenly finds himself in the desert. His clothes get stolen, and he arrives in Trona wearing only underwear. The locals give him an icy reception (a stark contrast to the scorching weather!) Under these circumstances, our character does the best he can. This film captures the bleak desolation of Trona perfectly as our character wanders around the town. Why has he come here? He is striving to find his niche in this forgotten town in the middle of nowhere. If he succeeds, he will have truly escaped civilization as we all know it. In Trona, he would be free at last!
  • Cast overview, first billed only:
    David Nordstrom David Nordstrom - The Man
    Libby Hux Libby Hux - The Woman
    Lee Lynch Lee Lynch - The Brother
    Maneesh Sharma Maneesh Sharma - Thief
    Cy Kuckenbaker Cy Kuckenbaker - Bar Patron
    Ken Mertz Ken Mertz - Bartender
    Marjorie Davis Marjorie Davis - Burger Stand Employee
    Larry Lier Larry Lier - Burger Stand Man
    Matthew Martin Matthew Martin - Boy
    Virginia Davis Virginia Davis - Woman on Street
    Charles Wright Charles Wright - Man at Bus Stop
    Steve Canada Steve Canada - Second Junkherder
    Markus Bonauer Markus Bonauer - German Tourist
    Katrin Terstegen Katrin Terstegen - German Tourist
    Christian Cummings Christian Cummings - Fireworks Member
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