Sleepy Hollow (1999)

Ichabod Crane is sent to Sleepy Hollow to investigate the decapitations of 3 people with the culprit being the legendary apparition, the Headless Horseman.

Director:

Tim Burton

Writers:

Washington Irving (story), Kevin Yagher (screen story),

Stars:

Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, Miranda Richardson

Won 1 Oscar. Another 22 wins & 28 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Johnny Depp	...	Ichabod Crane
Christina Ricci	...	Katrina Van Tassel
Miranda Richardson	...	Lady Van Tassel / Crone
Michael Gambon	...	Baltus Van Tassel
Casper Van Dien	...	Brom Van Brunt
Jeffrey Jones	...	Reverend Steenwyck
Richard Griffiths	...	Magistrate Philipse
Ian McDiarmid	...	Doctor Lancaster
Michael Gough	...	Notary Hardenbrook
Christopher Walken	...	Hessian Horseman
Marc Pickering	...	Young Masbath
Lisa Marie	...	Lady Crane
Steven Waddington	...	Killian
Claire Skinner	...	Beth Killian
Christopher Lee	...	Burgomaster

Storyline

The curse of the headless horseman is the legacy of the small town of Sleepy Hollow. Spearheaded by the eager Constable Ichabod Crane and his new world ways into the quagmire of secrets and murder, secrets once laid to rest, best forgotten and now reawakened, and he too, holding a dark secret of a past once gone.

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Plot Keywords:

horseman | headless | head | murder | ghost | 

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Taglines:

Who will it come for next?!

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for graphic horror violence and gore, and for a scene of sexuality

Details

Country:

USA Germany

Language:

English Latin

Release Date:

19 November 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

La leyenda del jinete sin cabeza

Filming Locations:

Hatfield House, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$65,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£2,848,933 (UK) (7 January 2000)

Gross:

$101,068,340 (USA) (5 May 2000)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Mandalay Pictures, American Zoetrope

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In Washington Irving's original story, Ichabod Crane was a school teacher who came to Sleepy Hollow and ran afoul of its resident ghoul, the Headless Horseman. Ichabod was also a teacher in Andrew Kevin Walker's original screenplay for the film, but director Tim Burton brought in Tom Stoppard to re-write and re-structure the screenplay. Burton is a major fan of Mario Bava's Gothic horror films, and, as an homage to Bava's Kill Baby, Kill, Burton adopted the basic plot of Bava picture: a skeptical investigator who places his faith in science and reason treks to an out-of-the-way hamlet plagued by a murderous ghost, only to have his skepticism of the supernatural forcibly broken down by the experience. The film includes numerous visual references to Bava's films, including a scene in which Ichabod dreams of seeing his mother's spike-pierced face after his father killed her - an image drawn from Bava's Black Sunday, a film Burton was once slated to remake.

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Goofs

When Thomas Killian is spinning the lantern with cut out shapes, the lit up shapes on the walls are spinning in the other direction.

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Quotes

[to the horse]
Ichabod Crane: Giddy-up... no, no this way... good horsey.

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Crazy Credits

The opening credits - shown over Ichabod's travel to Sleepy Hollow - interact with the landscape: if Ichabod's coach is near a river, the words are reflected on the surface of the water; if he's in a forest the letters drift away like dead leaves, and so on.

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Connections

References Faerie Tale Theatre: Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp (1986)

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Soundtracks

"Argeers"
Performed and arranged by Hesperos
Courtesy of Maggie's Music, Inc.

User Reviews

A truly stunning film

Tim Burton has done it again. It seems he can't really go wrong; especially when he's paired with Johnny Depp. Sleepy Hollow is the most visually stunning movie I have seen this year. The production is gorgeous in every way; the cinematography is hauntingly beautiful, the set design is incredible and the way Burton uses the color red to accentuate the lack of color and dreariness otherwise experienced in Sleepy Hollow is a visual treat. This movie is just absolutely beautiful to watch. The performances are flawless, I have to commend Burton for using such a great array of underappreciated character actors, such as Jeffrey Jones and Michael Gough.. and even poor little Casper Van Dien; the man just can't seem to get any respect (and he doesn't here either). Ricci is wonderful in a role totally against type, and Depp is refreshing as ever. Christopher Walken is just the coolest guy ever, and as the Headless Horseman he's even scarier than normal. The best thing, though, is Danny Elfman's music. Why on earth doesn't the man have an Oscar yet? What is going on?? He should at least get a nomination for this one.