Spanning 65 years and several generations, Into
the West succeeds as an ambitious compendium of authentic
American history. Originally broadcast in the summer of 2005 as a
six-part miniseries on TNT, it's the kind of well-intentioned epic
that can't possibly satisfy everyone, and some critics complained
that it covers too much territory, with characters functioning more
as archetypes than full-blooded human beings. Criticisms aside,
Into the West admirably achieves the goal of executive producer
Steven Spielberg, who envisioned this expansive project as an
accurate and corrective history lesson with long-term educational
value. Placing important emphasis on the Native American
perspective, it follows the Lakota Indians as they are gradually
overwhelmed by the white man's irrevocable westward expansion. As
conceived by playwright/screenwriter William Mastrosimone, the drama
uses two primary symbols--the wagon wheel and the Lakota medicine
wheel--to join the Lakota story with that of the Wheelers, a
Virginia family of wheelwrights who witness many of the 19th
century's pivotal historical milestones. From the pioneering
explorations of mountain men in 1825 to the tragic massacre of
downtrodden Lakota at Wounded Knee in 1891, these parallel
storylines encompass migrating wagon trains, the California Gold
Rush, construction of the transcontinental railroad, the violence of
Quantrill's Raiders, and much, much more.
Through it all, Into the West preserves Lakota customs and
language (accompanied by English subtitles) with unprecedented
authenticity. In showing how Native cultures were systematically
oppressed by the white man's westward capitalism, this tragic tale
is inevitably heartbreaking, although it ends on a hopeful note of
cultural preservation. Some violent content from the original TNT
broadcast has been edited for this DVD release to better accommodate
classroom viewing, but Into the West still qualifies as
essential viewing for anyone seeking an inclusive dramatization of
truthful American history, as opposed to the wildly inaccurate and
woefully biased accounts that dominated for decades. With different
directors for all six parts, the miniseries is remarkably consistent
in tone and vision, its outstanding production values matched by the
excellence of a prestigious and well-chosen cast including Irene
Bedard (who gives the standout performance in a
half-white/half-Lakota role spanning decades), Keri Russell, Skeet
Ulrich, Balthazar Getty, Matthew Modine, Graham Greene, Wes Studi,
Beau Bridges, Sean Astin, Lance Henriksen, Rachael Leigh Cook, Keith
Carradine, and others too numerous to mention. They all contribute
to a heartfelt tapestry of bicultural history, both tragic and
inspiring, and impressive enough to make its flaws easily forgiven.
DVD features
A standard making-of documentary covers all aspects of the
production of Into the West, with a brief introductory
comment by Steven Spielberg. The "Communication Gap" featurette
explores the challenge of translating dialogue into authentically
spoken Lakota language. Also included is a survey (with interview
clips) of the large cast; the original TNT promo trailer; and a
music video of the miniseries-inspired song "World on Fire,"
combining Into the West footage with a performance by Sarah
McLachlan and Robbie Robertson. --Jeff Shannon
Product Description
Experience one of the most definitive and triumphant chapters in
American history by journeying Into the West with this powerful
4-disc DVD set. Presented by TNT in association with DreamWorks
Television and executive produced by Steven Spielberg, this
12-TV-hour event contains all 6 timeless episodes of the
action-packed mini-series and boasts an entire disc of exclusive
bonus features. Chronicling the struggles, heartache and conquests
of two inspiring families, Into the West captures the hopes and
perseverance of both the explorers who risked everything to fulfill
their dreams and the land's indigenous people forced to watch their
way of life disappear. Featuring an ensemble cast of Hollywood's
brightest stars, including Beau Bridges, Graham Greene, Matthew
Modine and Keri Russell, Into the West is an American Dream saga
that Entertainment Weekly calls "epic in scope and cast."
