The Patriot starts out with a bang, but it's not cannon fire.  It is the sound of Benjamin Martin's (Gibson's) rocking chair collapsing beneath him moments after he has finished constructing it -- a visual cue that Gibson's widowed farmer and father of seven won't be allowed to rock into peaceful old age just yet.  There is, after all, freedom to be won.  The year is 1776, and the Revolutionary War is breaking out in the colonies.  Gibson, a military hero back in the earlier French and Indian War, intends to sit this one out on his farm in South Carolina.  He has already seen enough violence, has his doubts about democracy ("Why should I trade one tyrant 3000 miles away for 3000 only one mile away?" he asks) and wants to stick around to protect his young'uns.  But when the British set fire to his home and threaten two of his sons, Gibson straps on the muskets and comes out swinging his tomahawk, a souvenir from his bloody youthful conquests.  He assumes leadership of a ragtag local militia, and through a series of guerrilla actions becomes a major pain in the Union Jack to the British.  For a summer movie, The Patriot is commendably ambitious.   Director Roland Emmerich (Godzilla and Independence Day) and screenwriter Robert Rodat (Saving Private Ryan) have set out to show the causes and costs behind the birth of the nation and succeed surprisingly well during the film's first half.  Things eventually turn cliched and obvious (it runs a long 160 minutes), but Gibson's vigorous star turn as its conflicted hero and the well-staged, bloodily realistic battle scenes keep one's interest from flagging.  Gibson is superbly assured here, a master at pairing self-deprecating humor with steely determination, a combination which serves his character well.  Ledger (10 Things I Hate About You) shows promise as his strong-willed son but is saddled with too many sappy, teen-pleasing moments.  (R)  Bottom Line: Nothing revolutionary but certainly rousing.

In The Patriot, opening June 28, Gibson stars as Benjamin Martin, a southern farmer who reluctantly takes up arms in the Revolutionary War when the lives of his family are threatened. Like his character, Gibson values family above all else. Sure, he carries on as though he's the fourth Stooge - Gibson once famously gave Julia Roberts a freeze-dried rat as a gift - but underneath the prankster, he is pure Benjamin Martin: a serious, deeply moral man who, when the situation calls for it, can kick some serious butt.
    Gibson, like Martin, is a man out of a different time. He has been married to the same woman, Robyn Gibson, for 20 years. They met in 1977, when they were both living at a boardinghouse in Adelaide, Australia. Gibson, 44, is a devout catholic and a social conservative. He is the father of seven children - just as his character in The Patriot has. His eldest, 20 year old Hannah, worked as a production assistant; his youngest, 1 year old Thomas, was born a few months before production began. In between, there are the twins, Christian and Edward,18; William. 16; Louis, 13; and Milo, 10, to whom his father nicknamed  "Jarhead."
     Because he shares so much with his character in The Patriot, Gibson was able to give the kind of nuanced performance we haven't seen from him in years. For a film that features bone-rattling cannon fire and more than 400 live soldiers (in additon to countless others added via computer), the most startling special effect in The Patriot may be the emotional fireworks Gibson displays as a father on the verge of losing his children. "It's the small story within that drew me in and allowed me assess to the huge story," says Gibson. "[My character faces] a situation that many of us could face today, where we have everything we need - our parents, our children - and suddenly something happens that is really horrendous, some big, cathartic thing that interupts all that and threatens to take away what you hold most dear."
     Gibson's description of his character could just as well describe the man himself. "For me, Martin's strengths were that he knows his limitations," says the actor. " He knows his fears."
     Gibson, who in the past has struggled with his drinking (he gave it up in 1991 when, reportedly at his wife's behest, he joined Alcoholics Anonymous), is a man who has known - and stared down his fears. The actor repeatedly surprised The Patriot's filmakers with his willingness to go to the dark places required to pull off a character, haunted by his experiences as a veteran of the French and Indian Wars, who must fight again. "Watching his performance I could see that he was going through complete anguish," says screenwriter Robert Rodat, who also wrote Saving Private Ryan. "Either he is the greatest actor in the world or he was really in pain. Or maybe it was both."
     If Gibson was in pain, he wasn't the only one on the set of The Patriot who suffered. The film was shot in North Carolina and South Carolina from September to December 1999 - the height of the hurricane season. By all accounts, it was a difficult shoot for the hundreds of war reenactors and extras who spent entire days on the makeshift  battlefield with nothing to protect them from the elements but their period costumes. As the days grew colder, the extras started going AWOL.  Knowing that he couldn't shoot a war movie without soldiers, director Roland Emmerich asked Gibson if he could do something about it. "I asked him if he would go out there and make one of those Braveheart speeches," says Emmerich. Without hesitation, Gibson grabbed a bullhorn and got on the ladder. "He told them that the work they were doing was important," says Emmerich. "He said that if they stayed, they would be proud of the part that they played in this film. After that, no one else left."
    The tough-guy aspect of Gibson's personality - the part that jumps at the opportunity to rally the troups - comes from the wilds of the Australian   outback, where he grew up. When Gibson was 12, his father, Hutton, a railroad brakeman, moved him and his five brothers and five sisters from Peekskill, New York, to Australia, in part so that his son's wouldn't be drafted into the Viet Nam War. It was there that Gibson learned how to drink beer (he started at age 16) and be the man's man. "[My brothers and I] would pound the sh-- out of each other," he once said, recalling those rough and tumble teenage years. "We'd just kill each other. Very satisfying." Unbeknown to Gibson, his older sister Mary submitted an application in his name to Sydney's National Institute of Dramatic Arts. At that time, Gibson was working in an orange juice factory and generally living the life of a slacker. But once accepted at the school, he discovered his love for acting, which would become his passion.
     In 1979, Gibson landed his breakout role: the title character in the postapocalyptic cult classic The  Road Warrior. From there he chose films that showed his emotional side (The River and Mrs. Soffel, both in 1984),his acting range (Hamlet in 1990) and, of course his box office clout (the Lethal Weapon series, from 1987 to 1998). For The Patriot, a $100 million - plus event film, Gibson commanded $25 million, at the time a record up front payday for an actor. (Tom Cruise has since pulled ahead, now reportedly making $27 million per picture.)   While the four Lethal Weapon movies propelled Gibson to superstardom, the films were criticized for making violence seem cartoonish. That isn't the case with The Patriot. Like Saving Private Ryan, the film shows war to be the bloody and horrifying mess that it is. The motion Picture Association of America ratings gave it an R because of scenes in which young children are forced to witness and commit violence.
     Ironically, Gibson, a staunch believer in the right to bear arms, has taught his own children how to use guns. "They love going into the woods with those guns that shoot paint balls," he told Premiere in 1997. "We crawl around in the bushes and nail one another. The most merciless one is the youngest. He's a 6-year-old killing machine."
     Gibson has never apolgized for his views, even when they have gotten him into trouble. He doesn't believe in Darwin's theory of evolution; he's for capitol punishment and opposed to abortion and birth control. "Feminists don't like me and I don't like them," Gibson once told Playboy. "I don't know why feminists have it out for me, but that's their problem, not mine."
     Most of Gibson's beliefs come from his unwavering Catholicism. (His father, an ardent;y conservative Catholic, founded the Alliance for Catholic Tradition in responce to the Vatican Council's 1965 changes to the church.) Gibson has continued to raise his children within the faith. "He brought a religious aspect to his character [in The Patriot]," says Emmerich, who used crosses in the film as a motif to emphasize the religious concerns of the revolutionaries. "People really turn to religion in situations like that. Mel understood that this film took place when religion and spirituality generally played a much larger part in people's lives than it does today."
     Living in the South while making The Patriot gave Gibson a chance to be Gibson. He may be one of the biggest movie stars in the world, but he shares just as much with the people of Rock Hill, South Carolina, where most of the film was shot, as he does with the residents of Malibu, California, where he lives and owns two homes. For once, Gibson, who also owns a prize-winning cattle ranch in Australia and a  
20,000-acre ranch in Montana, was able to talk cows with his neighbors. When he went out to eat, he ordered like a local: rib-eye steak and grits - for breakfast. While he continued his on-set custom of playing Scrabble between takes, he also took time 
to catch a Carolina Panther football game in Charlotte.
     On the set, Gibson found time to mentor Heath Ledger, the 21 year old Australian actor who is generating a lot of buzz for his performance as Gibson's son Gabriel in the film. "I have learned a hell of a lot from this guy," says Ledger, who grew up in Perth idolizing Gibson. "And what I love is that a lot of what I learned was unspoken - his 
professionalism and the way he presents himself in his work and his mannerisms. I learned so much just from watching him. He is an extremely polite and genuine man."
     More than anything, the difference between The Patriot and Braveheart, the Oscar-winning war film that had until now been the high point of Gibson's career, is that the latest film exposes this more genuine side of Gibson's personality: the protector and father. "Yes, he's made a film on this scale before," says Emmerich. "But he directed and acted [in Braveheart]. I cannot imagine doing that. In this film, his only responsibility was to act, and as a result he went deeper places in himself than he ever went before."

Digital Soldiers
May 9, 2000:
Roland Emmerich talks a little bit about creating the battle scenes for The Patriot and some cost-cutting measures.   This is courtesy of Cinescape Online:

Director Roland Emmerich admits that he was a bit nervous about taking on The Patriot. While talking to the LA Times, Emmerich revealed, "I was a little scared of its scope. It's our most complicated shoot ever."  In keeping with their previous efforts, Devlin and Emmerich found ways of bringing the potentially daunting epic to fruition while also being frugal. For example, besides enlisting the aid of Revolutionary War reenactors, the choice was made to hire 600 extras to play the soldiers in battle. The rest of the soldiers were provided by use of computers. Emmerich explains how this made his job easier, saying, "It was the smartest decision we made. If you have to deal with 1,500 extras, you can only shoot three or four hours a day. It takes so long to move the troops around, you lose half the day. With 600, we were able to shoot six or seven hours."

Entertainment Weekly mention for The Patriot
April 28, 2000:

The following article is from the recent issue of Entertainment Weekly.  It's a brief write-up that's a part of their annual summer movie preview.  Thanks to Shu-Hwei (aka "Patriot with a brave heart") from the Patriot mailing list for scanning the above pic from the EW article.

The Patriot may have been written by Saving Private Ryan's Robert Rodat, and it may boast a few grisly battle scenes, but don't call this American Revolution flick Saving Johnny Tremain.  "It's really a love story between a father and son," says Aussie newcomer Heath Ledger, who plays Gibson's son.  And lest you think that Sony's $80 million summer tent pole is a treacly weeper, consider that it's also the product of Emmerich and producing partner Dean Devlin -- two guys who know how to crank out an Event Movie, for better (Independence Day) and worse (Godzilla).  The good news is, Patriot has more in common with ID4 -- and not just because it's a jingoistic tale of American resolve.  Gibson plays a French and Indian War hero who just wants to raise his family in peace.  That is, until his son enlists and is captured, forcing Gibson to snap into Mad Max mode to kick redcoat butt.  "You can draw comparisons to other characters Mel's played," says Emmerich, "but this one is a lot more layered because he's someone who's constantly trying to run away from what he has to do."  For the record, Gibson pocketed $25 million, raising the A-list Hollywood stakes.  But, insists Emmerich, "I think he's worth every dollar."

Sneak preview of John Williams' Patriot score
April, 2000:
Film Force recently posted a link to this CNN report on composer John Williams which includes a brief (and I mean brief!) sneak preview of his musical score for "The Patriot".  This is a great retrospect of his incredible career.  Click here to watch it on Quicktime.

Another glowing Patriot review
April, 2000:
McKercher from the Patriot mailing list pointed out this very positive review, just one in a growing list of many, which was posted on the Daily Radar site.  This is the second outstanding review that I've posted here.  The hype continues...

Here's a film that is worthy of all the anticipation and praise that it has been (or will be) garnering. The Patriot, an upcoming major release from Sony Pictures, may very well be the best movie to grace the silver screen since The Shawshank Redemption. It is the first movie in a long time to drive home a strong emotional impact amid a flurry of action and excitement. Much like another recent Mel Gibson epic Braveheart, The Patriot symbolizes freedom against tyranny. However, The Patriot brings forth much more emotional content and action than Braveheart, already setting it above that Oscar-winning film.

Set against the backdrop of the American Revolution, The Patriot centers around Benjamin Martin, a retired legend from the French and Indian War, who is now trying to raise his six kids as a family in the new American colonies. Martin, brilliantly portrayed by Mel Gibson, is reluctant to go to war against the British or to allow his children to see the blood of war. However, his headstrong eldest son, Gabriel (Heath Ledger), joins the American militia in an effort to prove that he is every bit as heroic as his father. Circumstances lead to an injured Gabriel seeking refuge at his father's home when the notorious Colonel William Tavington (Jason Isaacs) rides in. Tavington accuses Gabriel of treason, and soon the Martin family is drawn into a deadly confrontation. These events set the stage for a thrilling film in which Benjamin Martin is first driven to rescue his son, then to seek revenge on Tavington, all while trying to protect his family from further harm.  Beyond the excellent action, The Patriot provides a great deal of suspense, anticipation and emotion. Many wonderful scenes will leave viewers on the edges of their seats in tension and fear. As if this wasn't enough, The Patriot takes the time to drive home powerful emotions and elicit strong reactions from the viewer. Jason Isaacs is so diabolical as Tavington that one can't help but wince in disgust or writhe in agony at the brutal actions taken by his unit. The film is equally effective in prompting tears of sadness or of joy in certain scenes.

The Patriot is headed by the team of Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin, each lending his ID4-Stargate action style to a spectacular script written by Robert Rodat (Saving Private Ryan). Furthermore, Caleb Deschanel brings the visual look of the colonies to the foreground with his stunning cinematography in key suspense sequences and the beautiful, yet bloody, shots of the war. In this early screening, the musical score was a temporary track borrowing heavily from the exciting Saving Private Ryan score. However, with the legendary John Williams piecing together the final score, expect nothing less than perfection by the time the film is finished.

With a strong cast of Gibson, Ledger and Isaacs coupled with a stage set by revolution, Sony Pictures could potentially be sitting on the monster hit of the year. Certainly Emmerich, recovered from his embarrassing Godzilla days, has put some real effort into the film. All that remains to be seen is if the powers-that-be are intelligent enough to leave the film alone. The current R-rated, three-hour cut is just the kind of ambitious example of filmmaking that will both wow audiences and entice Academy voters into shelling out nominations. In its current form, The Patriot is nothing short of extraordinary.

John Williams to score The Patriot
February, 2000:
I just received this official press release from Suzanne at Centropolis:
Renowned composer John Williams has signed on to score the Mel Gibson Revolutionary War drama "The Patriot" it was announced today by producers Centropolis Entertainment and Mutual Film Company.  Williams has received 38 Academy Award nominations, including one this year for his score from "Angela's Ashes", making him the most nominated living person.  "It is an honor and a privilege to welcome John Williams on board "The Patriot", said director Roland Emmerich.   "John's body of work is incomparable and I am thrilled to be collaborating with him."  The emotionally charged adventure "The Patriot" is the story of a reluctant hero (Mel Gibson), who is swept into the American Revolution when the war reaches his home and threatens his family.  "For a film legend like John Williams to join our team is the greatest compliment," said producer Dean Devlin.   "With John's score, the drama and emotion of the movie is certain to touch the audience."  Producer Mark Gordon of Mutual Film Co. and Williams both worked on "Saving Private Ryan" adds that, "John is not only incredibly talented, but his style and sensibility are perfect for "The Patriot".  Williams was represented by Mike Gorfaine of the Gorfaine/Schwartz Agency.  Williams has scored over 80 films including "Fiddler on the Roof", "Star Wars", "E.T." and "Schindler's List".  He receives another milestone when he is honored by ShoWest with its first "Maestro Award" at closing night ceremonies on March 9.

Rodat speaks
November, 1999:
The following is from the Cinescape website:
Robert Rodat (Saving Private Ryan) has gone public regarding his script for Devlin and Emmerich’s The Patriot including talking about the changes made to the story. According to Reel.com columnist Jeffrey Wells, the original script did focus on the real-life personage of Francis Marion. Later drafts changed the lead character to the fictional role of Benjamin Martin, whom Rodat revealed as being based on a number of Revolutionary War guerrilla fighters in the south. Rodat told the columnist that the change "frees [the film] up dramatically."  In addition, Rodat talked about the violence in his script and the changes that had been made since, saying, "I admit the script is quite violent. The rough stuff came from the history books. But the degree of the violence will depend on [Roland Emmerich’s] vision… When I write my scene, descriptions have a lot of detail. Roland asked me to tone down the descriptions. Did he say specifically to cut down on the violence? No."

Bad guy #2 on board "The Patriot"
October, 1999:
The following was taken from the official Centropolis website:
English actor Jason Isaacs has joined the cast of director Roland Emmerich’s dramatic adventure The Patriot, starring Mel Gibson, the studio announced today. Isaacs plays Colonel William Tavington, the head of the Green Dragoons, the most deadly branch of the British fighting forces. His brutal and senseless assault against Benjamin Martin’s (Gibson) family provokes the reluctant, peace-loving American to join the Revolutionary War. Ignited by patriotic fervor, Martin and his son Gabriel (Heath Ledger) fight side by side in the battle against the British. In December, Isaacs will be seen in Columbia Pictures’ The End of the Affair, directed by Neil Jordan and starring Ralph Fiennes, Julianne Moore and Stephen Rea. Isaacs last appeared in the 1998 sci-fi thriller Soldier opposite Kurt Russell. Last year, he also starred in the black comedy Divorcing Jack and Michael Bay’s summer blockbuster Armageddon. His other feature film credits include All For Love, Event Horizon, Dragonheart, Solitaire for Two, The Tall Guy and Dangerous Love. On television, he appeared in the CBS miniseries “Mario Puzo’s The Last Don, Part 2.”

The following is from Coming Attractions:
"It's a very difficult part, but has huge potential to be a breakthrough role; a real career maker," notes our source. "The role is well written as a monumentally nasty s.o.b. who is the leader of the elite and vicious 'Green Dragoons.' Played wrong, the role would become just another over the top unreal Hollywood stereotype. Done right, it has all the potential to have the magic of Tim Roth in Rob Roy. Fortunately, Jason has the training, the resume, and the pedigree to pull it off." [Sent via anonymous undercover revolutionary.]

Patriot games
October, 1999:
 
My apologies for taking soooo long to update the site.  I've been very busy with other matters lately.  So here's a few things to make up for the delay.  Click on the thumbnails above for larger versions of the pics.  The following is from Dark Horizons:
Patriot: After three days of training in sweltering heat, 200 extras and 100 horse riding re-enactors participated in a recreation of a Revolutionary War battle for the new Mel Gibson movie "Patriot". Above are some photos from the South Carolina Herald, both capturing the "game of soldier" which took place last month. The extras also got to learn some nifty skills such as firing a musket, formation marching and hand-to-hand combat. While Gibson himself hasn't shown up, Director Roland Emmerich and co-star Heath Ledger did take a gander during filming. Thanks to 'Deep Fried Egg'.

The Revolutionary War may have ended more than 200 years ago, but the British are still taking potshots at the Americans. The latest target is "The Patriot," the mega-budget Mel Gibson film opening June 28.  Set during the War of Independence, the film has been trashed by at least two major London dailies for its alleged historical inaccuracies. The Express complained that "the movie's baddies are, as usual, the treacherous, cowardly, evil, sadistic Brits." Another, the prestigious Times, says the film is "a 160-minute polemic against the British."  "The Patriot," directed by Roland Emmerich of "Independence Day" fame, tells the story of Benjamin Martin (Gibson), a peaceful South Carolina farmer and hero of the French and Indian War who takes up arms against the British when one of his sons is killed, execution-style, and another is dragged away to be hanged.  The movie also has a sneeringly evil British colonel, played in the Alan Rickman "Die Hard" mold by British newcomer Jason Isaacs.  The British papers seem most upset about the liberties screenwriter Robert Rodat ("Saving Private Ryan") took with the character of Martin, who is loosely based on real-life Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion, who was known as the Swamp Fox.  "When the movie's historians discovered that in real life Marion raped his slaves and hunted Red Indians for sport, they changed his name to Benjamin Martin," said the Express.   The Times has also charged that Isaacs' sadistic officer is partially based on English soldier Banastre Tarleton, who in real life, says the paper, "was a dashing officer loved by his soldiers. He was no bloodthirsty villain."  Both papers also damn Hollywood for a long history of caricatured British villainy in films like "Michael Collins," "Some Mother's Son" and "Titanic." Even in "The Lion King," said the Express, "the role of the treacherous, murderous lion Scar is played by Jeremy Irons with a cut-glass English accent."   The Express went on to call for a boycott of the film, saying that its readers should "hurt the film makers where it hurts them the most — not in their (clearly nonexistent) consciences, but in their wallets."  The Times quotes an unnamed "Patriot" source who claims that any historical misrepresentations in the film are because "we had to simplify a few things, both to save budget and to explain the bigger picture."  Dennis Higgins, a spokesman for "The Patriot's" distributor, Sony Pictures, responded that "this isn't a history textbook. It's a movie that's meant to entertain. We love those Brits, but maybe they're still smarting from the outcome of that war."

Movieline article on The Patriot
May 14, 2000:

Thanks to the Patriot mailing list regular, Shu-Hwei, for the above scan (click on the thumbnail for a larger version) and the article below which are both from Movieline magazine:

Hollywood has never properly mined the American Revolution for its wealth of drama, and the last effort to do so, Hugh Hudson's 1985 "Revolution" (filmed entirely in England, of all places, and starring Al Pacino in perhaps his worst performance ever) was an interminable travesty buoyed by unintentional laughs.  Now German director Roland Emmerich of "Independence Day" fame and "Godzilla" infamy, and megastar Mel Gibson will hopefully correct that oversight with this tale of a colonial farmer, who, after grim experiences in the French and Indian War, wants nothing to do with America's fight with mother England until evil Brits attack his family.  This "Braveheart-ish" story is "Saving Private Ryan" screenwriter Robert Rodat's fictionalization of real Revolutionary War events, and by all indications Emmerich's film has assumed the pulse-pounding dimensions which those remarkable events deserve.  Among other things, the movie puts a properly brutal spin on the high price paid by the true Revolutionary patriots.  When Gibson's character unleashes the guerilla warrior that's been locked inside him, we can expect blood and guts -- and they belong here.  The film features young Australian actor Heath Ledger (the guy from "10 Things I Hate About You") in the prominent role of Gibson's oldest son.  If "The Patriot" delivers on its promise, we'll be seeing one of the biggest stars in screen history in a role he was born to play, and a young near-unknown in a role that makes him a star.

Patriotic inspiration
May 9, 2000:
The Patriot script writer, Robert Rodat, talks about what inspired him to write a story about the Revolutionary War.  Once again, thanks to Cinescape Online for the story:

Saving Private Ryan scribe, Robert Rodat, is revealing what inspired him to write the script for The Patriot. While talking to the LA Times, Rodat revealed, "I'd been reading about the Revolution for a long time, and I knew as I was finishing writing Ryan, the next thing I wanted to do was something about the American Revolution. I live in Cambridge, Mass., and I regularly go to the Patriots Day reenactment out at Concord Bridge. But when I really got serious about it, I felt the events of the northern theater--Paul Revere's ride, the events at Lexington and Concord--were overly familiar."  The scribe continues, "And it hit me, as it's hit many historians, that the Revolution was really a Southern war. Eight of the key battles took place there."  Still, in spite of a number of prominent historic personages, Rodat chose to show the war through the eyes of a father and son. Rodat explains why he made the choice, saying, "Most wars, like World War II, are fought by young men who are largely childless, [but] with the Revolutionary War, the battleground was not overseas but right at home. That interaction between parental responsibilities and the responsibilities of principle, coupled with having your children in effect on the battlefield with you, struck me as dramatically fertile."

Official Patriot movie poster
May 6, 2000:

Annie (aka "Patriot Girl") from the Patriot mailing list just provided this great polished version of the new Patriot movie poster.  I went to see Gladiator last night and the local theater already had it up on display.  Just click on the thumbnail to see a larger version.  Click here to visit Annie's Patriot website...

The gang's all here!
April 28, 2000:

Shu-Hwei (aka "Patriot with a brave heart") from the Patriot mailing list is to thank for this great photo of -- from left to right -- Heath Ledger, Mel Gibson, Jason Isaacs, Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin.  Click on the thumbnail for a larger version...

New Patriot trailer online
April 14, 2000:



The new trailer for "The Patriot" was just posted online today at the official website.  Click here to view the two sizes that are available in Quicktime format and just follow the links to the trailer.  Below are some stills taken directly from the new trailer courtesy of FilmForce.  Just click on the thumbnails above to see larger versions of the pics.  Looks like we're in for a treat with some spectacular ship battles in addition to the obvious ground battles...

Dean and Roland vow not to cut violent scenes
April 14, 2000:
Thanks to Sharon from the Patriot mailing list for sharing this encouraging article about recent concerns over whether The Patriot will be edited simply to reduce the MPAA rating:

Producer Dean Devlin has expressed concern that violent scenes in The Patriot, expecially those featuring the 13- and 12-year-old boys who play Mel
Gibson's sons, may result in the MPAA meting out an R rating to the film, USA Today columnist Jeannie Williams reported today (Wednesday). Nevertheless, Devlin told the columnist, director Roland Emmerich has vowed not to cut the scenes. "I don't think anyone's cheering these children shooting their guns. I don't think children seeing it are going to want to shoot guns from looking at it. ... If the only kind of violence our children see is heroic violence, I think that's really dangerous. ... We felt it was important to show that it's horrifying."

Patriot screener impresses
March, 2000:
Here's something from the Cinescape website that will add to the hype of the summer event movie "The Patriot":

Possible Patriot movie poster?
March, 2000:

Could the above pic be the official movie poster for "The Patriot"?  Click on the pic for a larger peek at it.   The other Patriot movie poster beneath the Event Movies logo at the top of this page is just an advanced poster, not the final version.  Still waiting for official confirmation...

Behind the scenes of The Patriot
March, 2000:
The official Sony Pictures 2000 website has just posted a 9.4Mb behind-the-scenes movie clip for "The Patriot".  Click here to see it.

On-set Patriot pics
January, 2000:

Here are some on-set photos from "The Patriot" lifted from a Jason Isaacs fan site at www.jasonisaacs.com.  Click on the thumbnails above to check out larger versions of the pics.  Jason Isaacs plays the ultra-evil Colonel William Tavington in the movie.  Thanks to Sharon for leading me to her website.  Check it out, everyone!

Patriot official website and trailer now online
January, 2000:

The wait is finally over!  Check out the official website for the upcoming event movie "The Patriot" at www.spe.sony.com
/movies/thepatriot/main.htm.  There's not too much content at the moment, but you can download the first trailer and take a gander at a few pics.  Still waiting for the official movie poster...

Patriot on-set update
November, 1999:

The following report is from the Dark Horizons website.  Click on the thumbnail above for a larger view of the picture:

The Patriot: 'Deep Fried Egg' is back with an on-set report from the Mel Gibson war drama "The Patriot". Here's the latest: "This photo(from "The Herald")is a shot of the main village that was constructed in Chester County, S.C. for the "Patriot" . The church is shown in the NW corner, and it is used for a major scene in the film. I am not sure what other parts of this village will be seen in the film, but I believe the tavern where Mel recruits his militia men is located here in this village". Filming on this project has been very disorganized at times, but mostly due to the constant changes in weather.  Filming of the biggest battle scenes is currently underway, but the cloud cover has delayed filming for a few days. Let me tell you that this movie is going to be incredible! When this project first started I, along with many others were worried about the "Sci-Fi Duo" (Roland Emmerich & Dean Devlin) making this film, but my fears are gone! They, along with the rest of the team are doing a tremendous job! Alot of the most talented people in the movie business are involved with this project. The stunt co-ordinator is known by many to be the greatest stuntman ever. Arnold's stunt double is involved as well as Jackie Chan's stunt double (yes, he does have a stunt double on a rare occasion). From what has already been accomplished, I believe the Patriot will be the must-see movie of next year.

Mel's new love
October, 1999:
The following is from the official Centropolis website:
Joely Richardson has snagged the romantic interest of Mel Gibson in Columbia Picture’s Revolutionary War drama “The Patriot,” which begins production Sept. 7 under director Roland Emmerich. Turkish actor Tcheky Karyo has also been cast as Jean Villeneuve, a French major who joins Benjamin Martin’s (Gibson) militia during fighting against the British during the war. Richardson will portray Charlotte Selton, the sister of Martin’s deceased wife, who goes underground with his children when the war breaks out. Richardson, who starred in “101 Dalmations” and “Event Horizon,” is repped by UTA. Karyo, repped by William Morris Agency, will be seen in the upcoming “Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc.” She starred in “Addicted to Love,” “Wing Commander” and “My Life So Far.”

More Patriot casting
July, 1999:
Cinescape Online reported this bit of info regarding casting for "Patriot":
While talking the The Australian newspaper, actor Heath Ledger shed some light on the casting of the role of Mel Gibson’s son in the upcoming Revolutionary War drama The Patriot from Centropolis. Ledger revealed that after auditioning, he had to await a while, saying, "It was terrible. It was awful. For every day for three weeks they said: ‘Tomorrow you're going to know, I promise you.’"  Ledger had also heard that Ryan Phillippe (Cruel Intentions) had been up for the role, saying, "Ryan did a really amazing screen test as well. The executives and everyone said: ‘Fine, we'll leave it up to the director. If you pick this guy the movie's going to go this way and if you pick that guy the movie's going to go that way – two different movies.’"