"It's Alright! I'm Here Now!"...

Rating: 10/10 (25 August 2019)

Director, Tim Burton's magnificently dark take on SLEEPY HOLLOW is, of course, a grownup horror version of the old tale by Washington Irving. In this story, Ichabod Crane (Johnny Depp) is dispatched by the New York City Burgomaster (Christopher Lee) to the titular village, where a series of grisly, unexplained murders will test his forensic skills. Upon arrival, Crane uncovers not only that an allegedly supernatural killer is about, but also that the villagers seem to believe they are cursed. The longer Crane remains, the more he realizes they could be right, and that there may be good reason. Packed with a dream cast of familiar British and American actors, and a brilliantly bleak script, every minute of this film is a Halloween treat! The otherwise muted, bleached color scheme, makes even small splashes of blood stand out like sudden jolts of crimson in a black and white print. Depp plays Crane as a twitchy genius, who must overcome his doubts in order to face what defies his scientific training. This allows for some nifty, Burton gadgets to be displayed. Christina Ricci is the perfect Katrina Van Tassel. Her look is essential for a film such as this, as she is the Barbara Steel of her day. Christopher Walken is absolutely vicious as the Hession! The Horseman footage is priceless, appearing -quite convincingly- to show someone in actual need of his noggin! This guy is frightening! SLEEPY HOLLOW is a fantastic Gothic chiller, playing like some lost, audacious HAMMER film. It also captures Burton and Depp at the peak of their collaborative powers. Watching this again makes me want to re-watch all of their early efforts!...