(CNN)As the Jan. 6 Committee continues its work, "Four Hours astatine the Capitol" presents a methodical, up-close-and-personal tick-tock of the insurrection, exposing what a chaotic, unusual and yes, convulsive time that was. Interviewing members of Congress, constabulary and protestors/rioters, it's a visceral relationship of what transpired done the eyes -- and cameras -- of those swept up successful the moment.
Directed by Jamie Roberts and produced by Dan Reed ("Leaving Neverland") successful relation with the BBC, the documentary draws connected some idiosyncratic grounds and an assortment of footage, immoderate antecedently unseen, reflecting however rapidly the constabulary recovered the concern spiraling retired of control.
"I inactive haven't made consciousness of it," Metropolitan constabulary serviceman Michael Fanone -- who testified earlier Congress successful July -- recalls, portion Capitol constabulary sermon the grueling process of astatine immoderate points 40 oregon 50 of them trying to fend disconnected thousands of aggravated rioters.
Video captures 1 of the rioters lighting up a associated wrong the Capitol Rotunda ("Because I can," helium explains to a videographer), portion the assemblage ominously chants "Nancy" successful a sing-song manner, indicative of the imaginable menace to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
Democratic lawmakers interviewed sermon their plans for warring backmost had they been forced to bash so. They besides callback their concerns astir the connection that would beryllium sent if they were compelled to evacuate the scene, determined to show that a convulsive effort to disrupt the process wouldn't succeed.
Some Republicans interviewed besides question the optics of what happened from a governmental perspective, with Rep. Buddy Carter of Georgia calling the breach "stupid," contending that successful presumption of nationalist sentiment astatine that point, "We were winning the motivation wars."
The cameras don't bespeak overmuch interest astir morality from those storming the building, exposing the convulsive quality of the encounter, the injuries sustained by constabulary and the mode the assemblage responded, finally, erstwhile then-President Trump sent a video connection telling them to leave.
"Trump has asked everybody to spell home!" Jacob Chansley, a.k.a. the QAnon Shaman, tin beryllium heard shouting successful 1 clip.
Perhaps what comes done astir vividly, beyond the sheer chaos that day, is the simmering choler that galore legislators and others inactive feel, arsenic good arsenic their lingering daze that specified a lapse could person taken place. "It conscionable ne'er occurred to maine that a mob would get into the Capitol building," Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) says.
The deftly curated video besides conveys the absurdity of those who person sought to contradict oregon downplay the information that existed, specified arsenic Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) having astatine 1 constituent compared Jan. 6 to a "normal tourer visit."
"Four Hours astatine the Capitol" mightiness beryllium improbable to alteration galore hearts oregon minds, but watching the grounds months removed from the vigor of the infinitesimal and the chaos that unfolded unrecorded connected TV makes it hard to entertain arguments that the media has overblown oregon misrepresented those images.
While the committee is inactive seeking to place and exposure the roots of Jan. 6 and "the Big Lie," "Four Hours" presents a spare and painstaking illustration of precisely wherever those tendrils lead.
"Four Hours astatine the Capitol" premieres Oct. 20 astatine 9 p.m. connected HBO, which, similar CNN, is simply a portion of WarnerMedia.
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