I can’t say enough good things about Sleepy Hollow. And I only hope I can express how much I loved it…when I first saw it 25 years ago, and again this year. This movie has something for everyone: horror, detective mystery, a great love story, and Young Adult horror/fantasy..
It’s loosely (very loosely) based on one of the oldest known works of American fiction, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1820)written by Washington Irving. The best known adaptation till then was a Disney animated feature. Another adaptation was actually a made-for-TV movie starring Jeff Goldblum and Dick Butkus.
Its director Tim Burton was on a hot streak around that time and got a lot of freedom to do as he wanted. Burton had a vision and was able to capture a lot of that vision. That included a wonderful cast including the great Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci and several horror movie veterans you will probably recognize.
Burton used some subtle touches too: the views of the river upstate; like a painting from the Hudson River School, but with all of its primary colors drained away. The drawing room of the inn where Ichabod meets the town elders. Their faces—grotesque but grotesque in a way you can’t quite put your finger on. Other things you can’t help but notice, the dark gloomy grey color enveloping the town of Sleepy Hollow.
Johnny Depp plays Ichabod Crane, a New York City police constable sent to solve a series of murders in an upstate town…all the victims beheaded by a phantom with a sword. No clue where the heads wound up. The city police force are glad to get rid of Ichabod. They despise his preference for “scientific” detective methods, his refusal to torture confessions out of suspects. The people holding the power in Sleepy Hollow appear willing to tolerate Ichabod—for a short stretch anyway. They are that desperate to stop the killings. But they don’t hesitate to tell him, you’re long way from home, son.
Ichabod arrives just in time for a party at the one big inn in town. The guests in the midst of a game of pickety-witch; a woman designated “the witch” blindfolded, trying to guess the man who has just kissed her. She is Katrina Van Tassel, the innkeeper’s daughter. You can sense the chemistry between Katrina and Ichabod; so thick you can cut it with a knife.
But you can feel the distance separating Katrina and Ichabod too. Sleepy Hollow is a tight-knit community; just a few families closely intertwined…almost inbred. Anyone else is treated as an outsider and must pass rigorous tests before being accepted. It won’t be long till you sense the dirty secrets in town history…and Katrina’s family is a part of those secrets.
Before the end of the next day, things change—quickly and dramatically. Ichabod, who believes in scientific methods, not superstition, sees the horseman for himself. At first, the sight overwhelms him; a supernatural creature he’s always insisted would not, cannot exist. Immobile in bed, he lies, shaking, while townspeople stare at him, “Well I guess it’s back to the city then,” someone blurts out. You can understand their impression. Ichabod can barely ride a horse. He has a phobia of insects and spiders. All in all, not a tough guy.
But Ichabod finds his courage the next day. He may not believe in witches but he meets one in the flesh. And he is able to discover some of what he needs to know. It’s a brilliant scene, combining humor with some visceral terror. A tightrope-walking feat that scenes like this seldom achieve. Even some elements of the original Psycho where Lila Crane (Vera Miles) encounters Norman Bates’ terrible mother and his mother’s worst secrets.
Humor too—Ichabod is so agitated he uses the word “which” three times in a matter of seconds. The witch’s whole face is covered with shaggy grey hair. When he finally sees her face it is a nightmare-ish vision. But like Norman’s mother the witch supplies a major clue in Ichabod’s search.
In addition you watch a different sort of clue; Katrina and Ichabod’s growing chemistry. Riding away from the witch’s cave, Ichabod faces a stranger—face covered by a hood. To his astonishment he sees Katrina. What are you doing here, he asks.
None of the men in town were willing to come here, Katrina says.
Then I am twice the man, Ichabod says…Subtle but powerful partnership. And not the last time.
I don’t want to give away any more of the story line. The story has way more twists and turns—more than you can keep track of. Even Ichabod has some childhood memories he wants to forget…but memories he needs to deal with in the here and now.
The world where Ichabod finds himself cannot be dealt with entirely with science and reason. He has to use some methods he had thought to be supernatural, borderline-magic. Watching him combine the scientific and magical methods, you can see how much he grows. You’ll want to take that journey with him.
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