Arguably the most infamous case in recent U.S history.
On March 3rd,1991, an African-American taxi driver was brutally beaten by members of the Los Angeles Police Department. After a videotape was released that showed several police officers brutally attacking this man, the name of Rodney King was known around the world.
What followed after was one of the most damning indictments of the American justice system. The four officers were tried on charges of use of excessive force; three were acquitted and the jury failed to reach a verdict on one charge for the fourth.
Within hours of the verdict, the 1992 Los Angeles riots started.
The rioting lasted six days, during which 53 people were killed and 2,373 were injured. In fact, it only ended after the national guard and the US military intervened.
Twenty-five years after the verdict in the Rodney King trial sparked several days of protests, violence and looting in Los Angeles,
LA 92 immerses viewers in that tumultuous period through stunning and rarely seen archival footage.
Produced by two-time Oscar winner Simon Chinn and Emmy winner Jonathan Chinn and directed by Oscar winners Dan Lindsay and TJ Martin, the film looks at the events of 1992 from a multitude of vantage points, bringing a fresh perspective to a pivotal moment that reverberates to this day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcFuY_lPwh8
Clip via - National Geographic
Despite the fact that these events occurred 25 years ago, they're eerily pertinent to present-day America. In their review, the San Francisco Chronicle praised the documentaries aesthetic approach and said that it's more cinematic than most films. They described LA 92 as "an immersive, you-are-there experience that is as dramatic (or more so) as any Hollywood feature film."
By using a variety of TV and helicopter footage, the events unfold in a chronological order which really gives the documentary a present-tense feel.
Since being released, the film has been very well received by critics - 91% on Rotten Tomatoes - but it has really registered with anyone that has seen it.
In fact, some people are saying that it's one of the best documentaries that they've ever seen.
High praise indeed.
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