ZDF - Forsaken Places (2020) Part 1 American Dream

Abandoned places with their numerous secrets have a certain attraction. It is precisely this attraction that forms the core of the four-part documentary series “Lost Places”. Historic places, forgotten, threatened and threatening at the same time. Made of steel, poured in concrete or blasted out of a mountain Yesterday's monuments from the great eras of history come alive again. These places are also full of personal stories told to us by contemporary witnesses. Up close and personal accounts of natural disasters, wars or global mega accidents that took a toll on those monuments and places — and the people around them as well. Built from steel, carved out of mountains, poured in concrete. Humanity has left its mark even in the most remote reaches of our planet. These are monuments of history, of industry, of humanity's hubris. What was once built at staggering cost now stands as a relic of its time orphaned, abandoned, forgotten. But these places are like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, parts of a greater story, which we will bring back to life through the stories of the people who once lived and thrived at these places. Over four episodes, Lost Places explores twelve such relics. Each episode follows a theme, which connects the three abandoned sites explored within. At each site, we meet the people who built it, who worked and lived here. They tell us what these places were once like, while we explore them as they are today – and thus almost make them come alive again. To tie these abandoned places into greater history, and to better understand how they worked, we connect these stories with archive footage and animation. In four episodes, we visit twelve such “lost places” − military bases, prestigious buildings, tourist paradises and hospitals. And the people who used to live and work there help us discover these mysterious places. They guide us through an emotional and educational journey into their personal stories, which are always part of history as well. In four parts, we visit the shattered American dream, the dark sides of the Soviet Empire, the fall of the British Empire and the rise and fall of the Yugoslav Empire. Each part focuses on three places and their remains, inviting the viewer to a unique journey of discovery.

Part 1 American Dream

Three abandoned sites of the American Dream, three monuments of a mighty nation’s pride. They help us see that there is light and shadow in the American Dream. We visit the Safeguard Base, a former hi-tech protection shield against nuclear missiles, Pennhurst, a model facility for people with disabilities, and a working class vacation paradise Salton Sea. Everywhere the filmmakers meet the people who once dreamed of the American dream. But everywhere they also discover that the image of this dream is as crumbling as the buildings of its heyday. The symbols of the old USA either find new uses - or are left to decay.

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