Movie Review: The L.A. Riot Spectacular

The L.A. Riot Spectacular a.k.a The L.A. Riot Show 

Rockhard Pictures, Visionbox Pictures, entitled entertainment, El Camino Pictures, Cherry Road Films, RichKatz Entertainment, USA, 2005. 

This is a satire film about the 1991 Rodney King incident and the following Los Angeles riots. Snoop Dogg tells a classic American tale. 

Snoop Dogg arrives in the beating scene

From the beginning it is clear that the movie takes a tongue in cheek approach. Rodney King's (T.K. Carter) pursuit is presented as a police car race. Then the cops place bets on what race the driver will be. George Holliday (William Forsythe) films the beating on videotape from his balcony. Later he starts to film adult films.

The videotape is auctioned for the highest bidder. KTLA-channel buys it and shows it over and over and over... again. Media interviews Rodney. Rodney wants to sue the cops so he could be filthy rich. Everyone wants to know what brand of clothes Rodney is wearing tonight. 

TV hosts Harry and Mary

Rodney and his lawyer (Charles Durning). Notice the beer bottles

Black politicians urges the black against the cops. The Mayor (Charles S. Dutton) is unable to calm people and actually makes the situation worse. The Police Chief (Ronny Cox) congratulate the cops on job well done. The he fires them. Officers Koon (Christopher McDonald) and Powell (Emilio Estevez) become the scapecoats so the rest of the police force can wash their hands.

Officers Koon and Powell

The Mayor

The criminal gangs decide that it is futile to kill each other abd combine their forces. On retrial the cops are freed. The Nazis Tom Saltine (Ted Levine) and his son Tom Jr. (Jonathan Lipnicki) are happy. The shooting of black teen Latasha Harlins by Korean shop owner further raises the racial tensions. The beating of white truck driver Reginald Denny starts the riots. TV hosts Harry (David Rasche) and Mary (Anne-Marie Johnson) throw more fuel to the fire. The gangstas notice that "Oh no, we're burning our own hood to the ground." Nielsen ratings rise record high.

Snoop pouring one out for fallen homies

The riots

Nielsen ratings rise

It is quite difficult film to watch without knowing the exact background of the riots. I found myself googling for names every time a new character was introduced. This is like "South Park" with radio stations from "Grand Theft Auto." Jokes are made about every ethnic and demographic group in Los Angeles. As well as about police, media, politicians, gangs, protesters, lawyers, celebrities and people chasing their 15 minutes of fame.

The movie looks like it was filmed with cheap 1990s video camera. It looks intentionally ugly and cheap in the style of amateur videos. Some jokes are hilarious and some are not and then there is also Ron Jeremy. It is outrageous with politically incorrect jokes that are sure to offend. However the stereotypes are aimed at everyone. There is similar gang culture parody as in "Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood" with ever-present 40 oz malt present bottles and random acts of gang violence. However the jokes get repetitive which makes the social satire less effective. Not a movie for everyone but recommended for fans of "South Park" style controversial satire. By taking no sides it shows how pointless the riots were and how nothing hasn't changed. Can't we all just get along? asks narrator Snoop Dogg. 

Rating: Good

Starring: Snoop Dogg, T.K. Carter, Charles S. Dutton, Emilio Estevez, George Hamilton, Charles Durning, Christopher McDonald, Jonathan Lipnicki, Ted Levine, William Forsythe, Ronny Cox, Jude Ciccolella, Ron Jeremy, Tabitha Stevens, Shay Roundtree, Erick Avari, Ian Abercrombie, Eric Axen, Hart Boykin, Lindsey Ginter, Marshall Manesh, Thaddeus Massey, Danielle Rayne, Wylie Small, Stephen Snedden, Steve Tom, Kirk B.R. Woller, Andy B. Dardaine, Michael Buffer, Gregg Daniel, Tony Gonzalez, Dave Mallow, Mark Newsom, David Rasche, Anne-Marie Johnson, Christian Redd, Willy Roberts, Corey Parker Robinson, E-Kan Soong, Patti Yasutake, Joseph Phong Dao, Charles Hailey, Laura Ann Tull 

Director: Marc Klasfeld