Into The Westmay not be the most famous Western series out there, but its stacked cast and immersive storytelling make it one of the most underrated. The show follows the separate lives of an Indigenous American and a White settler, whose journeys are bound together when the latter marries the former’s sister. It’s a very powerful story of humanity, love, and acceptance in a historical period that famously lacked these values, making it anexcellent series in the Western genre.
Although his fingerprints are all over the project, many audiences may not have been aware thatSteven Spielberg was involved in the creation and production ofInto the West, as it’s very different from anything else he’d made before. The show clearly marketed itself as a Western, with actors like Josh Brolin, Skeet Ulrich, and Alan Tudyk as the main draws, but it likely wouldn’t have been as successful without Spielberg’s involvement behind the curtain.Spielberg is best known for his popular moviesand blockbuster cinema, but this project proves that he’s also capable of telling great stories in a smaller, more confined medium.
Steven Spielberg Has Surprisingly Never Directed A Western Movie
The Western Genre Remains Pretty Much Untouched By Spielberg
The fact that Spielberg has never technically directed a Western movie is astounding, not because he’s connected with the genre in any particular way, but simply because he’s tried every other genre throughout his career. Whilethe director is best known for his big-budget adventure blockbusters likeJurassic ParkandRaiders of the Lost Ark,or his grounded but epic dramas likeSchindler’s ListandBridge of Spies,the Western genre is an area of the filmmaking landscape that he’s never delved into with any certainty.
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That’s not to say that Spielberg hasn’t been inspired by the history of Westerns — that’s clearly not the case. Films likeRaiders of the Lost Arkand its many sequels are clearly influenced by auteur Western filmmakers like John Ford and Clint Eastwood, with their sprawling landscapes and gruff protagonists who pave their own paths through uncharted territories.Spielberg also famously watches Westernsbefore starting any new project, so it’s evident that the genre is important to him.
Into The West Shows Steven Spielberg Should Make A Western
Spielberg Seems To Understand What Makes The Western Genre Work
Although Spielberg has never made a Western film,Into the Westdemonstrates that he should. He was only a producer onInto the West, and shouldn’t be given all the credit for the show’s fascinating storytelling and compelling characters. However, the way everything comes together in this miniseries is just as much an achievement of producing as either writing or directing.Spielberg has a keen eye for Western imagery, whether that’s the Wild West locations or the typical frontier heroes, and he could certainly make use of these in a movie of his own.
Spielberg is having one of his best decades and much of that comes down to his willingness to step outside his comfort zone and try things that he’s previously kept off the table.
Western movies haven’t been at the same level of popularity in recent years as they once were, but if there’s one filmmaker who could cause a resurgence, it’s Steven Spielberg. His recent adaptation ofWest Side Storyalso went against his typical filmmaking style and saw an enormous success that kick-started a Hollywood trend of prestige, quality movie musicals that follow in its footsteps.Spielberg is having one of his best decadesand much of that comes down to his willingness to step outside his comfort zone and try things that he’s previously kept off the table.
Why Has Into The West Been So Forgotten?
Not Many People Talk About Spielberg’s Western Miniseries
Admittedly,Into the Westisn’t one of Spielberg’s most well-known projects— nor was it among his most critically or commercially successful. The miniseries was somewhat ignored by critics and audiences at the time of release, and it hasn’t forged much of a legacy for itself in the years that followed.Into the Westwas nominated for Best TV Picture at the Golden Globe Awards, but apart from that, it didn’t make much of an impact. The most obvious reason for this was its lengthy, complicated storytellingthat isn’t easy to invest in unless you were already interested in the characters.
For many decades, the genre had been at the forefront of Hollywood, and unfortunately, audiences were simply growing tired of watching the same stories play out in slightly different ways.
Additionally, Westerns were arguably at their lowest popularity in the early 2000s. For many decades the genre had been at the forefront of Hollywood, and unfortunately, audiences were simply growing tired of watching the same stories play out in slightly different ways. Even thebest slow-burn Westernsweren’t fully appreciated in this era, which preferred more engaging and creative subversions of genre: but in hindsight,Into the Westis some of Spielberg’s most arresting and interesting work of its time.
Into the West
Cast
This historical miniseries examines the intertwining lives of two families—one white American and one Native American—against the backdrop of American expansion from 1825 to 1890. The series depicts significant events that influenced the cultural landscape and the complex interactions between differing worlds during this era.
