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