Into the West

I just finished seeing the final installment of the mini series "Into The West", and I was quite taken with the Indian nation was treated as a whole. As in any mini series, there will always be some fiction, but now I have a new appreciation for the way the Indian nations were treated as a people. My wife is part Cherokee, and a mixture of everything else, but my heart went out to the Lakota people, and to the entire Indian nation for the way they were treated by the white race. These were a race of very simple people, who just wanted to be left alone, but progress and greed got in their way, and this mini series made me sick that we could do this to any human being. I wish I could turn back the hands of time, because I would fight on their side against my own people, simply because these are probably the only honest people in this country. The one thing that did come out of this series is the dishonesty of our own government, we make an agreement, then we break it because it serves a purpose.

"Into the West" is an amazing story, that anyone who calls themselves an American should see. This mini-series shows a heart-felt perspective of American History that no high school text book could possibly explain. The way they tell these unprecedented events through generations of two families, and the joys and tragedies that they endure keeps you glued to the screen every second. You have no idea how excited my mom and I were when we found out that EVERY episode would be two hours long!! We expected the first one to be two hours to reel you into the story, and then the rest would be an hour. But an hour each week just wouldn't be long enough to explore all of the different aspects of these people's journeys. And the cast is absolutely spectacular, especially Matthew Settle and Tonantzin Carmelo. The love they have for each other seems to make everything else in this tale a little more bearable. I'm going to stop now, because I could go on for hours and hours about this series if you let me. Steven Spielberg, you ROCK!!!

I watched this not expecting much, and though the start was slow the show really picked up momentum by the second half. Acting was solid, but the storyline is what I think will really be good. I enjoyed the portrayal of both the settler/native side of the story. One thing that really makes the show unique is the use of native language- you hear English, several native languages, Spanish, and so on. That made it feel more authentic. I think that people who are interested in native culture will enjoy it, since it tells things from that point of view, but without being preachy or heavy handed- there are good and bad characters in both cultures. My only complaint is that the main character, Wheeler, is a little wide eyed and borders on corny at times, but hopefully that will get better as the series goes on.

To tell the story of the "West" you have to cover a period as long as the life of one man, but no one person ever experienced everything. Instead this mini series tells the story of a family. Some reviews have said two families, one The Wheelers, Wheelrights from West Virginia and the Lokato Indians, but they are related marriage.

The problem with telling the story of the West is that most of time it was grueling hardship, and not exciting action. What was recorded in people's letters and journals were these simple hard facts of life, while the myth makers, story tellers and newsmen made the west something it never was.

So since "Dances with Wolves" historical westerns tend towards the slower pace of life of the time. Of course this is accompanied by sweeping panoramic camera shots and a stirring sound track.

It starts by telling the story in two ways, one from the point of view of "The White Man" and other in terms of dreams and mysticism of the Indian people. But it doesn't go behind the facade of Indian story telling methodology or stay true to that methodology.

It all adds up to slightly disappointing tale, yet one that manages for maybe the first time I know of, to personalize much of the story that made up "The West". From the trail blazers, to the cover wagons of the first settlers, to Californian gold rush, building the railroad, and of course the Indian wars and massacres.

This is perhaps a goal so high, that if the film makers failed to hit their mark, the achievement is still of note.

I thought this was a excellent series.For those who want to degrade it should take the time to research Indian Affairs .There corrupt policy from day 1.With the full support of the U.S.Government that simply made treaties with the Native Americans to disregard,break,or flat out lie about the content and sent military forces to support corrupt Indian Agents, land barrens, speculators for the railroads.

We stole their land and made promises that were never going to be kept and they knew it(the government). The final Episode Ghost Dance and the massacre at Wounded Knee was so intense it made me ashamed to know that we could do this and be proud of ourselves.I have been to Wounded Knee it is a very sad place and now this series makes it more realistic as to what happened there.These were innocent people they slaughtered!