SleepyHollow

Sleepy Hollow (1999)

Recently I’ve been able to dust off a few DVDs that have been collecting dust on my shelves and give them a watch. I’ve had this DVD of Sleepy Hollow sitting in my collection forever and finally took the time to watch it. I did see this in the theater when it first came out and then have managed to catch bits of it on cable. I remember liking it in the theater and I think I might like it even more now.

In this version of the classic tale Ichabod Crane is a constable sent to Sleepy Hollow to investigate a series of gruesome murders. Someone is killing the locals and making off with their heads. Crane is sent because of his superiors are annoyed by his adherence to science and desire to apply logic to every investigation. This makes for an interesting contrast as he is faced with a supernatural killer. But there is still a mystery to be solved and in spite of the implications of witchcraft Crane is determined to solve the crime. Though part of his motivation is due to his feelings for a local woman named Katrina.

Like I’ve already mentioned I might like this movie even more now then when I first saw it. To begin with I think that it is written very well and they manage a clever trick. Most of us are familiar with the story, especially if you grew up liking the spooky stuff as I did. Because of this whenever a new version of Sleepy Hollow is made it runs the risk of either trying to deviate too much and then ruins the story or ends up a little boring and ho hum. What they do with this movie is change things around just enough to make it interesting, while keeping what made the Sleepy Hollow story fun and interesting. You still get the Headless Horseman riding about taking heads and being pretty scary. The quirky characters like Ichabod Crane are also still there. But now the movie is also a mystery. A supernatural who done it that engages and entertains the audience.

As is the case with most movies directed by Tim Burton this movie boasts a very good cast. I’m not going to list them each off, but there are some legendary actors in small roles. Though it never feels like “stunt” casting to cash in on their names because Burton gives each something memorable to do on screen. The one person that I was going to mention specifically is Johnny Depp. I’m just as guilty as the next guy when it comes to goofing a bit on Burton’s habit of creating roles for Depp, but he is good in most of them. Though I’d say of all their collaborations this might be my favorite. When Depp is onscreen as Crane his performance is fascinating. The guy is clearly flawed and sort of cowardly, though he comes thru in the end. Depp uses body language and a hesitation in his dialogue to create a wonderful character. The fact that the Crane character feels so real in such a surreal and absurd situation is a testament to his talent.

And now I want to talk about the behind the scenes stuff. Even the most casual fan will instantly be able to recognize a Tim Burton directed movie and Sleepy Hollow is no exception. Right from the start we get a killer visual with a creepy scarecrow. That is continued right thru with the look of the buildings both in New York City and the Sleepy Hollow sets, as well as the interiors. Not only do we get a great story and wonderful cast, but they are given beautiful sets to inhabit that are as much fun to look at as the rest of the movie is to watch. Toss in another quirky, but perfect score from Danny Elfman and you have a movie that has it all.

I highly recommend Sleepy Hollow to anyone that is a fan of Burton or just wants to see a fun, well made, and interesting flick. Sure if you are one of the haters you just doesn’t like Burton’s work then you will want to skip this one. But then you weren’t going to like anything he did anyway, so why did you bother reading my review? To everyone else I say go pick this one up. The DVD can be had cheap and it is a movie you will revisit again and again.

3 ½ out of 4

reviewed by John Shatzer