Sartaj Singh
‘Horizon: An American Saga’ is a multi-film project that dives deep into the tumultuous period of the country’s westward expansion, both before and after the Civil War. Directed, co-written, and starring Kevin Costner, the narrative spans a 15-year period, transporting us on an epic journey through the pre and post-Civil War era as America expanded westward. The storyline focuses on individual settlers as they travel further west with the promise of riches and freedom while also demonstrating the native American perspective of having their lands invaded. With a sweeping and rugged recreation of the lawless lands, the film series raises questions regarding its connection with the actual historical time period.
Horizon: An American Saga – Realism-Drenched Fiction Inspired by History
Kevin Costner’s passion project employs historical settings and scenarios, stunning cinematography, and multiple storylines weaving through time to create an epic that seeks to capture the essence of the Wild West and its lawless nature. The idea of the ‘Horizon’ series of films came to Costner in 1988, and he worked on the story for the first film. Unable to have it made at the time, his rumination about the characters and new ideas over the years led to the creation of three more films that come together to form one sprawling epic.
The series is a pure and sincere passion project, with Costner investing much of his personal fortune into the venture. Along with such a powerful drive for its creation comes his dedication to authenticity and detail in portraying a critical juncture in history with a raw and honest lens. To provide a well-rounded view of the time period, we are introduced to four main storylines signifying varied perspectives: from the wandering gunslinger Hayes (Costner) to the mature Apache warrior Taklishim.
Manifesting Destiny Along the Oregon Trail
The narrative follows the settlers journeying across vast arid lands, venturing across the desert and hostile landscapes to reach the promised land beyond via the Oregon Trail. The Oregon Trail was a historic east-to-west route that pioneers traveled in the 19th century to settle in the fertile lands of Oregon, California, and other western territories. Spanning over 2,00 miles from Missouri to the Oregon Valley, the trail saw massive migration from the 1830s to the late 1860s until the Civil War, with settlers seeking new opportunities and land.
As seen in the film, the journey on the Oregon Trail was arduous and perilous, with settlers traveling in covered wagons, often forming wagon trains for mutual support and protection. The trail started in Independence, Missouri, and passed through present-day Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho, and Oregon. Along the way, settlers faced numerous challenges, including treacherous river crossings, extreme weather, disease, and attacks from the land’s natives.
The production depicts difficult terrain, such as the Montana-Wyoming mountain range, Western Kansas on the Santa Fe Trail, and the San Pedro River Valley. The excellent cinematography by J. Michael Muro brings these Old West vistas to realistic life as the scenes take us through a diverse array of locations from lone farmsteads and hillside towns to dusty trails and hidden Apache camps.
Adventure, Ambition, and Morality in the Wild West
The ‘Horizon’ series of films taps into Costner’s love for Western stories and narratives. “I like seeing how people would arbitrate their problems if there was no law around,” he explained in an interview. “Because you see how people behave when they realize they can take something if they are strong enough or mean enough. It feels ugly, it’s raw, and it’s gonna require somebody who is not violent to stand up to it.” Costner’s intention with ‘Horizon: An American Saga’ is to depict the Wild West in a highly authentic manner, both visually and narratively, with a focus on immersing the audience in the gritty era.
The various expansive storylines in ‘Horizon’ are a major part of exploring the varying conflicting forces of the time. Between the settlers and the natives, the film explores two conflicting cultures and people, each driven by their own thoughts, ambitions, and moral compass. Greed and ambition can be perceived in potent quantities with the pioneers, who arrive in greater and greater numbers as the timeline progresses. The Apache are depicted in a multifaceted manner through Taklishim and Liluye, a couple close to the chief, inhabiting the middle ground between pacifism regarding the incoming settlers and relentless aggression against their advance.
“People just kept coming, millions, and unfortunately, as they began to move across this country, across the Mississippi, there was a whole group of people who had been here for 15,000 years, and there was this cataclysmic clash,” said Costner in an interview. “There is a great drama in that, there are winners, and there are losers, and we know who lost, we know what we lost. I feel like you can really make a movie out of that. I feel like you can walk yourself back and try to figure out who you are in this story.”
‘Horizon: An American Saga’ weaves together everything from everyday frustrations of the time to monumental historical events in a decade-spanning narrative with a keen focus on varied characters. Special attention is paid to presenting varied viewpoints and depicting period-accurate backdrops, costumes, and lifestyles. With passionate minds driving the production, the film series boasts stellar cinematography, performances, and intricately detailed narratives that bring the Wild West to life.
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