
Eventhoughthe1992LosAngelesriotstookplacelongbeforethespreadofcameraphones,theywerecapturedonvideofromthebeginning,oratleastfromtheeventthatlitthespark:thebeatingofRodneyG.KingbyLosAngelespoliceofficers.“LA92,”oneofseveraldocumentariesbeingreleasedtocommemoratetheriots’25thanniversary,takesadvantageofthewealthofbroadcastandhelicopterfootageavailabletoassembleachronologicalaccountwithapresent-tensefeel.<br/> Themovie,whichopenstheatricallyonFridayandairsontheNationalGeographicchannelonSunday,beginsandendsbydrawingaparallelwiththe1965Wattsriots,whichthenewsmediaaddressedinstrikinglysimilarlanguage.Apartfromoverbearingmusic—thelead-intothefirstdayoftheriotsisscoredwithanorchestratuningup—thefilmmostlyletsthearchivalfootagespeakforitself.

