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Reviews
The Patriot (2000)
Good entertainment and not too far from the truth
This movie is very entertaining if you don't get hung up on the excessive violence and 'cartoonish' characterizations. Mel Gibson is way to heroic and the British way too evil, but overall it closely follows the way the war played out in the south. Most people are not familiar with that version of the war. If you think of the American Revolution as Lexington and minutemen 'provoking' gentlemanly British soldiers, this movie may not be for you. It clearly shows the reluctance of the people of the Carolinas to get involved in the war until the British start using terrorist tactics on them. The British miscalculated as the southerners pestered them to death!
Daniel Boone (1964)
Loved this one.
I loved this show as a kid and I remember it being on the air all of my childhood. It is full of historical inaccuracies but the fictional relationship between Daniel and Mingo, his half-English, half-Indian friend, makes up for it. Mingo was a unique character. I am watching the DVD's now of the first and second seasons and it's like going home again. The color episodes feature some really nice footage of authentic mountains and streams as you find them in Kentucky. This is a good series to share with young kids. They are not likely to see anything like it on TV again. I'm glad to see that many people agree and have managed to get Daniel Boone out on DVD. Let's hope the remaining seasons are to follow.
The Young Rebels (1970)
Great show - still relevant
I'm a history teacher and would love to have this show on DVD to use in my classroom. I remember it well. It got me hooked on American history at a young age. It would be most useful for discussions regarding the way Americans view (and the way American popular culture depicts) the American Revolution and specifically the notion of 'freedom fighters' vs 'terrorists'. It is also an interesting view of the 70's craze for 'relevatism'. I remember being extremely disappointed when it was taken off the air. The acting and the story lines were good. I specifically remember Henry the Ben Franklyn fan and Lafayette that was played by a young Frenchman very well. Of course a young Lou Gossett Jr with hair is certainly worth preserving this show for posterity all by itself! It came out when young people preferred to watch things like Laugh-in and the Partridge Family the year they took the long-running Daniel Boone off the air. Daniel Boone is very similar, especially the first couple of seasons which are available on DVD now, but I rate the Young Rebels a notch above Daniel Boone for current day relevancy.