Washington Irving's classic story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is tailor-made for director Tim Burton. Burton is terrific at creating a mood through sets and music, the latter again supplied by Danny Elfman. The folk tale of the Headless Horseman, freely adapted by screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker, conjures images of a menacing figure on horseback, riding sword in hand through a dark, creepy forest. Burton provides this and more: the costumes, makeup and casting make the elderly post-colonial gentlemen look bloated and corrupt, while the ladies are mysterious, well-endowed witches. Everybody is pale as ghosts, as if they have spent their lives indoors. The art direction goes beyond the forest and graveyard; there's a marvelous old windmill, while Johnny Depp's character has devised a number of curious forensic instruments.
The story is set in 1799. Ichabod Crane (Depp) is a constable for the New York City police, and a gadfly for using 'modern' techniques to solve crimes. A grumpy judge ('B' horror film veteran Christopher Lee) has had enough of him, and sends Crane north to solve a series of murders. Sleepy Hollow is a small town that lives in fear of the Headless Horseman (Christopher Walken), a beheaded Hessian mercenary from the Revolutionary War. Recently he has returned from the grave to claim new victims, say the frightened villagers. Crane is a man of science, however, and attempts to find the man behind the gruesome murders.
Crane stays at the home of local bigwig Baltus Van Tassel (Michael Gambon), his charming wife (Miranda Richardson), and his lovely young daughter Katrina (Christina Ricci). Katrina takes an immediate liking to Crane, much to the annoyance of her beau Brom Van Brunt (Casper Van Dien). No one believes that Crane can solve the murders, except Katrina and teenaged orphan Masbeth (Marc Pickering). Michael Gough, the elderly butler in Burton's 'Batman' films, plays a decrepit notary.
Depp and Walken have also worked with Burton before. They fit right in with his style of directing. Depp always has the 'deer caught in the headlights' look on his face, perfect for casting in roles where he is someone (or in the case of Burton's "Edward Scissorhands", something) out of place. Walken, an outstanding actor, looks menacing even before the dog teeth and bizarre eye makeup. He doesn't have many scenes, having lost his head, but is both campy and creepy here.
An even better version of the headless horseman tale comes from the Disney animated feature "The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad" (1949). The animation is excellent and the story is both funny (Ichabod is a dunce) and surprisingly scary. (67/100)
In Tim Burton's stylish creepy retelling of the classic Washington Irving story SLEEPY HOLLOW Ichabod Crane Johnny Depp is a squeamish bookish 18th ce...More at Family Video
DVDS. {%Washington Irving}'s tale of {%Ichabod Crane} and the {%Headless Horseman} gets a few new twists in a screen adaptation directed by {$Tim Burt...More at DeepDiscount.com
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