8/52 - LA 92

 

I was on my way to watch a different documentary, when I came across this one and decided to watch it instead when I noticed that it would be coming off Netflix at the end of the month. I knew it was likely to be a difficult watch and it was, for many reasons, but I figured that was exactly the point. I mean, I could spend Black History Month watching docs about pioneering sports stars, but I also didn't have to do just that. 

I'm not really sure what to say here, I am sure the internet does not need another white lady posting her thoughts about civil rights, police brutality, and systematic racism. Not to mention I do not feel intellectually qualified to wade into this discussion on a topic as layered and as large as this. If you feel this is a simple issue of obeying the law and there will be no problems, please just move along because that isn't even close to it. I mean this documentary, which is about the Rodney King trial verdict, opens with a very similar story that took place in the 60's. The simple fact they were able to layer the statements and news reports over top of each other and have the same story told and I have no doubt that if the filmmakers were to update it today, they could do the exact same thing...... well what a sad commentary that is. That we haven't learned a single thing from any of those specific examples, and that of course is barely the tip of the iceberg.

This documentary offers no interviews with historians or the people who were involved in any way at the time, it simply shares the information as it was caught on camera and reported on by the news, police audio and radio shows. And it is pretty powerful story telling. I have no doubt that many people will think many different things after viewing this, they will have ideas proved and/or disproved. This was powerful and heartbreaking.

I watched this on Netflix.