SLEEPY HOLLOW
US, 1999. 105 minutes, Colour.
Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci Miranda Richardson, Michael Gambon, Casper Van Dien, Jeffrey Jones, Richard Griffiths, Ian Mc Diarmid, Michael Gough, Christopher Walken, Marc Pickering Lisa Marie, Steven Waddington, Claire Skinner, Christopher Lee, Alun Armstrong, Martin Landau.
Directed by Tim Burton.
Sleepy Hollow is a version of Washington Irving’s story, The Legend of Sleep be Hollow (filmed by Disney, 1949, as part of Ichabod and Mr Toad).
This version is very much a Tim Burton film, a sense of the mysterious, special effects that are both gory and with the touch of humour, and exercise in American history, American superstition, American horror.
Johnny Depp, who worked with Burton in Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, Sweeney Todd, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, is the rather straightlaced rationalist detective from New York City who is sent to investigate a series of murders in upper New York State, in Sleepy Hollow. He does not believe in ghosts but soon experiences the Headless Horseman, is terrified, and changes his approach. He is helped by the daughter of the powerful man of the town, Michael Gambon, Katrina (Christina Ricci).She, however, does believe in potions and spells – as does her mother, played by Miranda Richardson.
Christopher Walken has quite some moments when the Headless Horseman has a head, fierce in battle, sharp teeth, wielding a sword and decapitating. The film was made in England and quite a number of British character actors have good roles including Richard Griffiths, Michael Gough, Ian Mc Diarmid, Christopher Lee, Alun Armstrong.
The film has a great deal of atmosphere, the presentation of the 18th century village, the eerie woods surrounding the village, the attacks of the Horseman, the visualising of the decapitations, a mysterious tree in which heads buried and blood flows, a mysterious witch.
While Ichabod Crane has to change his perspective from complete 18th century rationalism, he still uses police work and detection to solve the mystery of the killings.
One of Tim Burton’s films which will be singled out as most characteristic.
1. Washington Irving’s classic story? History and legend? 18th century, 19 century?
2. Tim Burton, his stories, treatment, horror, mystery, comic touches? The musical score by Danny Elfman?
3. New York, 1999, the dead body in the river, the police, the courts, the Superintendent and his manner, the apprehension of the thief and throwing him into the cellar, the magistrate is president court, the appeals, reason? Sending Ichabod Crane to Sleepy Hollow?
4. Johnny Depp as Ichabod, age, personalities, serious, the constable, his experience, police work, science, his created equipment, books, in court, going to Sleepy Hollow, his hopes?
5. Sleepy Hollow, in the vistas of the town, in the house, doctors rooms, the streets? 18th century?
6. The woods, the beautiful, eeire, the paths, the trees? The deadly and twisted tree?
7. The opening, Van Garrett, his son, the will, the seal, the pursuit of the headless horsemen, the fears, the decapitations?
8. The history of the headless horseman? Appearance, face, teeth, bloodthirsty in battle, the beheadings, his own death? The little girls watching? Burying his body, the removal of his head, his continued search for its, his vengeance? His list of victims? The pursuit of Ichabod? The tone, superstitions? And the fear in the town?
9. The village, the problems, the leaders, the stories, the conspiracies, witchcraft, Lady Van Tassel, Katrina?
10. The introduction to the village, the inn, Boltus, Katrina, the celebration, her kissing Ichabod, the jealousy of Brum, the notary, the magistrate, the Reverend, the doctor, talk and explanations? The deaths? The death of the widow? The servant?
11. Phillips, confiding in Ichabod, his knowledge, his fears, the pursuit by the horseman, decapitation, his head in Ichabod’s lap, the horseman using his sword to retrieve it?
12. The young boy, his father as the servant, his wanting to help Ichabod, the death of his father? Ichabod accepting his help?
13. Ichabod, visiting the crone, her behaviour, the special effects – and later hearing that her sister killed her?
14. Ichabod and his seeing the horseman, in action, fainting, his previous scepticism, his books, Katrina giving him the book of spells?
15. The notary, his fear, in himself? The Reverend, the sexual encounter with Lady Van Tassell? The doctor and his affair with the maid? The truth about the elders and their complicity?
16. Ichabod, finding the documents, their pointing to Boltus, yet his death? The issue of who would benefit most from the deaths? Lady Van Tassell?
17. The mother, Katrina, the threats? Her rendezvous in the woods with the Reverend? Her seeming death, her being live, using the maid as a substitute?
18. Her motivations, explanation of her story, the two little sisters, the family in poverty, ousted by the Van Garrett’s, her playing, revenge, came the wealth, the use of witchcraft?
19. Ichabod, going to the tree, the discovery of the fence, the blood from the tree? The horseman, the fight with Ichabod, Ichabod shot, the book of spells stopping the bullet? Ichabod giving the head to the horseman, his restoration, his vengeance, the death of Lady Van Tassell?
20. Peace being restored? Ichabod and Katrina going to New York?
21. The story of superstitions and the age of reason?
