Burton does horror, and quite well too...

Rating: 9/10 (13 February 2006)

Forget the animated Disney short. Tim Burton's first (and, to date, only) real horror movie has nothing to do with the 'toon many of us so fondly remember. It's bleak, gory, bizarre, and utterly brilliant.
The main difference between the two versions is the protagonist: Ichabod Crane (Johnny Depp) is no longer a teacher, but an eccentric inspector sent to Sleepy Hollow so that he can use his "scientific methods" to solve a series of appalling murders. He is firmly convinced the killer is human and everything has a rational explanation. Soon enough, though, he will realize he's facing a criminal like no other: the Headless Horseman (played by Christopher Walken in flashbacks) is not the usual murderer, and cannot be defeated with conventional weapons.
Burton has successfully made this movie his own, thanks to the creepy sets, Danny Elfman's grandiose music, the grotesque and ambiguous characters (flawlessly portrayed by such actors as Michael Gambon, Christina Ricci and Miranda Richardson), and Depp's freaky leading man. He has even added one of his most personal touches: the eerie flashback which shows Ichabod's childhood and justifies his behavior (see also Batman and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for similar sequences). Without giving away the plot, it's one of Sleepy Hollow's most shocking moments.
A very smart and unusual horror flick (though, as in the case of John Carpenter's Vampires, it's more gory than scary), and a must-see for Burton fans.