Sleepy Hollow is a story by Washington Irving and has many adaptations including the original from 1922 and even a Disney telling/story. This version was directed by Tim Burton (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street [2007]) and screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker (Brainscan [1994]) and came to theaters in November 1999 from Paramount Pictures.

Christopher Walken

It’s 1799 and Peter Van Garrett (Martin Landau (North By Northwest [1959]) is signing his latest last will and testament and seals it however he’s soon killed by the Headless Horseman (Christopher Walken (The Sentinel [1977])). We jump to Icabod Crane (Jonny Depp (A Nightmare on Elm Street [1984]) who is the constable and is dispatched to a town called Sleepy Hollow by the Burgomaster (Christopher Lee (Count Dracula [1970])) to investigate brutal murders. You can tell Ichabod isn’t one that likes seeing killings but as constable he’s forced to investigate.

CHRISTOPHER LEE

Johnny Depp and Christina Ricci

He first meets Katrina Van Tassel (Christina Ricci (Cursed [2005])) who takes him to meet her father Baltus (Michael Gambon (The Beast Must Die [1974])). Ichabod wants to start the investigation right away so Icabod meets the rest of the higherups in the town Reverend Steenwyck (Jeffrey Jones (Transylvania 6-5000 [1985])), Magistrate Phillips (Richard Griffiths), Dr. Lancaster (Ian McDiarmid (The Awakening [1980])), and Notary Hardenbrook (Michael Gough (Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors [1965])). After he gets there the killings/beheadings continue one leaves Young Masbeth (Marc Pickering (The Task [2011])) orphaned and becomes a helper to Icabod. Soon Katrina takes Icabod and Masbeth into the western woods where he meets a witch who tells them the location of the Horseman which is the “Tree of the Dead.” That night the headless horseman kills the village midwife, her family, and also Katrina’s beau Brom Van Brunt (Casper Van Dien (Dracula 3000 [2004])). This leads Icabod to visit Hardenbrook who reveals that the first victim Peter Van Garrett secretly married the widow writing the new will that left the estate to her unborn child which makes him think that the horseman is after anyone connected to this marriage and will and thinks that Katrina’s father Baltus is behind everything. Everyone gathers at the church and Baltus bursts in and kills Steenwyck and Lancaster however he meets his end by getting stabbed by the Horseman, in a very creative way since he couldn’t cross hollowed ground and then ultimately decapitated.

Christina Ricci, Jeffrey Jones, Michael Gough, Ian McDiarmid, Miranda Richardson, Michael Gambon, and Jessica Oyelowo

Miranda Richardson and Christina Ricci

Icabod thinks that Katrina has bewitched him and decides to leave town however comes back when he realizes she’s actually the target and it’s here that we realize that her stepmother Lady Van Tassel (Mianda Richardson (Underworld [1985])) is actually behind it all as she made a pack with the devil and has the horseman’s head and is controlling him to kill everyone so she gets everything in the will. Katrina is in grave danger since the estate is hers, so Icabod and Masbeth come to her aid and eventually get the head from her and throw it to the horseman and puts the head back on and takes her to hell with him. In the end Icabod takes Katrina, and Masbeth back to his home in the city and all is well again.

Headless Horseman

This gothic, supernatural horror film has its good and bad points. For instance, in the original story Icabod is a schoolmaster and is tall and lanky. It’s also a shame to waste the talent of Christopher Lee who only has a short, brief appearance in the beginning of the film, maybe he could have been one of the main townspeople who had more appearances. I first saw the film when I was much younger so it’s always nice to revisit the film later. This is recommended for those who like to go back to childhood stories in this case Icabod and the Headless Horseman when we first learned about it in school and like the horror element to it.

The Horseman reclaims his head

TAGLINES:

• Who will it come for next?!
• Watch your head!
• Köpfe werden rollen ! (Heads will roll.)
• Beware!
• Heads Will Roll.
• Close Your Eyes. Say Your Prayers. Sleep If You Can.
• You can lock the doors. You can bolt the windows. But can you survive the night?

IMDb Rating: 7.3/10

3C Rating: 7.0/10