Sleepy Hollow

Rating: 8/10 (18 March 2005)

Director Tim Burton (Beetlejuice, Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street) has created some scary, creepy, weird and wonderful films, and this is another success. Burton favourite Johnny Depp stars as Ichabod Crane, a Constable assigned to investigate murders taking place in an unknown town called Sleepy Hollow. On the day of arrival at the Hollow he meets and falls in love with Katrina Van Tassell (Christina Ricci), daughter of Baltus Van Tassell (Sir Michael Gambon). It is Mr. Van Tassell who tells Ichabod that the murders are done by a Headless Hessian Horseman (Christopher Walken). Ichabod does not believe that there is a horseman like this, until he actually sees him. He is now on the hunt for this horseman and trying to find reasons for these murders, besides wanting his head back! Also starring Miranda Richardson as the nasty Lady Van Tassel, Jeffrey Jones as Reverend Steenwyck, Christopher Lee as Burgomaster, Richard Griffiths as Magistrate Philipse, Michael Gough as Notary Hardenbrook and Lisa Marie (Burton's fiancée at the time) as Ichabod's Mother (in his dreams). It is a good mystery with some good horror moments, particularly decapitations. It won the Oscar for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, and it was nominated for Best Cinematography and Best Costume Design, and it won the BAFTAs for Best Costume Design and Best Production Design, and it was nominated for Best Special Visual Effects. Christopher Walken was number 34, Sir Christopher Lee number 31, and Johnny Depp number 22 on The 100 Greatest Movie Stars, Lee was also number 13 on The 50 Greatest British Actors, Depp was also number 9 on The 100 Greatest Sex Symbols, and he was number 2 on The World's Greatest Actor, and Miranda Richardson was number 15 on The 50 Greatest British Actresses. Very good!