Sleepy Hollow (1999) This is when Tim Burton first stepped into the territory of the dramatic reimagining. Essentially take a well known subject matter or story and just go for broke however you want. What results is a very odd movie. Imagine if Hammer studios wanted to make The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, which is no coincidence seeing it has Hammer veterans Christopher Lee and Michael Gough in it (and 3 sith lords surprisingly enough, Darth Maul, Emperor Palpatine, and Count Dooku). For starters Icabod Crane in the original story is a nebbish, kinda dickish new schoolmaster. In this movie he’s a nebbish constable who yearns to be the first Forensic Investigator. In most telling the Headless Horseman is implied to be completely fictional but in this movie he’s without a doubt real. After a series of unexplained beheadings Icabod is sent to crack the case to validate his modern approach to an archaic justice system. On one hand the film looks great with Gothic scenery laced throughout the town. On another hand the tone of the movie is all over the place. At times it’s really serious with particularly realistic and gruesome special effects for the kills. There’s even a scene where a small child is beheaded off screen. Heads definitely roll in this movie. But many other elements are unintentionally goofy. For example Christopher Walken as the Headless Horseman is priceless and hilarious (AAAHH!). Also the mystery surrounding the movie is so complicated that towards the end the main villain has to explain it like an almost self-aware monologing super-villain. Johnny Depp returns but this time around he doesn’t have much to work with. It’s a decent performance but nothing to get people excited. Surprisingly this is the only time Christina Ricci appears in a Tim Burton movie. She looks like a character from his sketches you’d think she’d be his “It” girl. Oh well certain things don’t work out the way you think they would. As an adaptation of the original story it sucks, straying very far away from the source material and not staying completely true to the original spirit. As its own thing it’s a good movie. Not one of Tim Burton’s best but you may like it on Halloween.
Posted on: Tue, 15 Oct 2013 11:28:54 +0000
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