Posted by | Ray Cornelius
The 29th of this month will mark the 25th anniversary of the infamous Los Angeles Riots. For six days, the City of Angels experienced a hellish eruption of rioting, looting and arson like never before that resulted in 55 deaths, 2,000 injured and over $1 billion dollars in property damages. It all began after a trial jury acquitted four officers of the LAPD of the use of excessive force in the videotaped arrest and beating of Rodney King. To commemorate that horrific time in our nation’s history, National Geographic has produced a brand new documentary titled, “LA 92.”
According to the film’s official synopsis, “LA 92” immerses viewers in that tumultuous period through stunning and rarely seen archival footage. It explores the events leading up to the violence, as well as the chaos and destruction that ensued. The film also captures the shock, disappointment and fury felt by many Angelenos, particularly those in the African-American community, following the outcomes of the back-to-back, highly publicized trials (Latasha Harlins and Rodney King). In the case of the King beating, it was the first time the kind of abuse many had witnessed or experienced at the hands of LAPD officers was recorded and broadcast for the world to see, leaving some with the sense that if justice did not prevail despite such graphic evidence, it never would.
Produced by two-time Oscar winner Simon Chinn (“Man on Wire”) and Emmy winner Jonathan Chinn (“American High”) and directed by Oscar winners Dan Lindsay and TJ Martin (“Undefeated”), the film looks at the situation from a multitude of vantage points, bringing a fresh perspective to a pivotal moment that reverberates to this day.
“The LA riots happened a quarter century ago, but we are still struggling with the root causes of those riots today,” says Jonathan Chinn. “It’s clear from the events that occurred in Ferguson and Baltimore last year that as a nation we are still finding our way in terms of escaping the cycle of racial oppression, police brutality, socioeconomic inequality — and the inevitable protest that results from these things.”
Check out the trailer below and tell us what you think!
