Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan directed a horror movie no one remembers

Taylor Sheridan has made herself one of the most important people in Hollywood. As a creator “Yellowstone” is also almost the sole author of the showhe has managed to build a full-fledged TV empire that extends beyond his hit Westerns. There are spin-offs as well as other popular shows like “Tulsa King,” “Loness,” and “Landman,” all of which come from Sheridan's mind. However, the filmmaker's beginnings behind the camera were relatively humble – his feature directorial debut is a horror film that you could be forgiven for not knowing.

The movie in question is called “Vile” and was released in 2012. It's an ultra-low-budget film that, for lack of a better term, is underrated in the “torture porn” subgenre that became popular in 2012. The early 2000s, largely due to the success of the “Saw” franchise. Those who have seen the movie “Vile” need not remember this. Still, it's an important part of Sheridan's filmography.

in a 2017 interview with Rotten tomatoesSheridan discussed “Vile” a bit during the press tour for his thriller “Wind River.” That movie is highly rated and, while technically not true, Sheridan considers it his feature film debut. Here's what he had to say about it at the time:

“I would say (Wind River) is my feature debut. My friend raised — I don't know what he raised — 20 grand or something and betrayed his friends and wrote this bad horror movie, but I told him no .He was going to direct and produce it and he started and freaked out and said, “Can you help me?” I said, “Yes, I will I'll try.”

“Vile” was written by Eric Beck and Rob Kowsaluk. The film centers around a group of strangers trapped in a haunted house. Unsure of why they are there or who is behind it, they are soon enlightened by a video that suggests there is a way out. After all, they have to go through excruciating pain and torture to get their freedom. While not a copycat, it should sound familiar to anyone who has seen even one Saw movie. It's also a cousin to other modern films like Hostel and The Collector.

For all the success Sheridan has enjoyed, Vile is considered to be his worst film to datehowever, it also doesn't clearly represent what he was capable of as a filmmaker. Speaking later in the same interview, he explained that he felt his role in the film helped more than actually being the director. In any case, what he learned on set helped him later down the road:

“I kept the ship straight and they went off and edited and did what they did. I think it's generous to call me the director. I think he was trying to say thank you in some way. It was a great opportunity to turn the camera and learn some insights that really stood me in good stead on Wind River.

The interesting thing is that in the realm of horror, no movie ever really seems to die. To that end, this film has found a certain audience affinity over the years. “Vile” even got a Blu-ray release, which you can pick up on Amazon. Getting a Blu-ray release isn't a prize these days, but it's more than many other direct-to-video low-budget horror films. Adding Sheridan's name certainly won't hurt, but that's also why we remember movies like “Duel”, which served as Steven Spielberg's feature directorial debut. Would we still be talking about it if his name wasn't attached?

I'm certainly not suggesting that these films belong in the same place, rather just pointing out that the name of a major filmmaker can help certain films live on in the public consciousness, instead of disappearing entirely as they might without the addition of said filmmaker. In any case, it's fascinating to look at it as the beginning of Sheridan's directorial career in retrospect.

“Vile” is now streaming on Tubi.