Taylor Sheridan has established herself as one of the most important people in Hollywood. As the creator of “Yellowstone,” in addition to being the most beautiful solo authorhas managed to build a full-fledged TV empire that extends beyond his Western hits. There are spin-offs, as well as other shows like “Tulsa King,” “Lioness,” and “Landman,” all based on Sheridan’s ideas. However, the filmmaker had little experience behind the camera – his lead role is a horror movie that could be forgiven for not realizing it.

The film in question is called “Vile” and it was released in 2012. It is a very low-quality film, which is not respected at all in, for lack of a better word, the current “porn” genre. in the early 2000s, in part due to the success of the “Saw” franchise. For those who have seen “Bad,” it doesn’t seem to be worth remembering. However, it is the most important part of Sheridan’s film.

In the discussion of 2017 and Rotten TomatoesSheridan discussed “Vile” a bit during the press tour of his thriller “Wind River.” That movie and it is widely viewed and, although not technically true, Sheridan considers it his first feature. Here is what he said at the time:

“I would say (Wind River) was my first role. A friend of mine got up – I don’t know what he raised – 20 years old or something, and he took his friends out, and wrote this horror movie, which I didn’t tell him to direct. I said, ‘Yes, I’ll try.’

“Vile” was written by Eric Beck and Rob Kowsaluk. The film is about a group of aliens who find themselves imprisoned in a house. Not knowing why they are there or who is behind it, they are soon enlightened by a video that advises them that there is a way out. In the end, he must endure pain and suffering to gain freedom. Although it is not a carbon copy, it should sound familiar to anyone who has seen even one of the “Saw” movies. It is a cousin of other contemporary films such as “Hostel” and “The Collector.”

Of all the successes Sheridan has enjoyed, “Vile” is considered his worst filmhowever it no longer represents what he was able to do as a filmmaker. Speaking in the same interview, he explained that he saw his role in the film as more helpful than being a director. In any case, what he learned on that set served him well later:

“I kind of kept the ship straight, and they took off and fixed it, and did what they did. I think it’s generous to call me a director. I think they’re trying to say thank you, in a way. It’s a good opportunity to point the camera and learn the lessons that benefited me on ‘Wind River.’

The funny thing is that, in the horror scene, it feels like no movie ever really dies. To achieve this, the film has been synonymous with people for many years. “Vile” also got a Blu-ray release, which you can pick up on Amazon. Not that getting a Blu-ray release is a prize these days, but it’s more than many other low-budget, direct-to-cinema horror movies can afford. Having Sheridan’s name attached doesn’t hurt, but that’s why we remember it Movies like “Duel,” which served as Steven Spielberg’s directorial debut. Without his name, would we still be talking?

I’m not saying that these movies are in the same league, I’m just pointing out that the name of a great filmmaker can help some movies stay in the public’s consciousness instead of disappearing as they would without the filmmaker. Either way, it’s interesting to look at this as the beginning of Sheridan’s directorial career with the benefit of hindsight.

“Vile” is streaming now on Tubi.