A horror film, but it's a Tim Burton horror film, make no mistake about that.

Rating: 7/10 (18 November 2019)

Tim Burton directed this 1999 adaptation of Washington Irving's 1820 short story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", and his trademark gothic fantasy imagery influenced by Hammer Horror films is also over the production. Even Christopher Lee makes a cameo appearance. Johnny Depp plays squeamish police constable Ichabod Crane, sent from New York City to investigate a series of murders in the village of Sleepy Hollow by a mysterious Headless Horseman, who decapitates his victims in the woods. Christopher Walken plays the ghostly rider, and the strong supporting cast also includes Christina Ricci, Miranda Richardson, and Michael Gambon. Despite never going beyond the thrills of the obvious, Burton keeps up the pace and tension throughout the film, aided and abetted by Danny Elfman's dramatic score and some remarkable visuals. This is gorgeous filmmaking that brims over with fun-house thrills and ravishing romance.