Rent Sleepy Hollow (1999)

Watch your heads! - Sleepy Hollow review by CP Customer

Being a massive Tim Burton and Johnny Depp fan, I am quite biased towards their films, however after Ed Wood, this film is one of my favourites. The film begins in 1799 and detective Ichabod Crane (Johnny Depp), who a man of science and is tired of New York’s old fashioned ways of dealing with crime is sent to the remote village of Sleepy Hollow to investigate a decapitating murderer. The film was marketed as a horror film and it has all the makings of one, from the brilliant dark shadowed cinematography to Dannny Elfman’s chilling score. However I would call it a supernatural thriller more than a horror, as I do not find it very frightening but more thrilling. Tim Burton takes the typical elements of a good horror film and puts his own surreal twist on it. Johnny Depp creates another memorable character in this film and as always is a joy to watch. The cast is full of A list stars, Micheal Gambon, Christiphor Lee, Miranda Richersdson and Christopher Walken, who all play their parts very well. The only let down in terms of acting would be Christina Ricci, who in my opinion looked a bit weak compared to all the other actors around her. The film is dark, satirical and thrilling with Tim Burton’s usual beautiful sets and colours. I thoroughly recommend this film, though be warned, there is blood in abundance!

One of my favourites - Sleepy Hollow review by TH

What can I say I really love this film.

Tim Burton had some classic films back in the 90s. This film at time mixes fantasy with a sort of slasher film style deaths.

Watched this film so many times and still enjoy it.

Entertaining Horror/Comedy/Mystery - Sleepy Hollow review by GI

The visual style, sets and characterisations make this fantasy/horror film clearly a Tim Burton one. It's a sort of whodunnit with the supernatural all mixed together. It's certainly entertaining, nicely gory and humorous and boasts a fantastic cast although many aren't on screen anywhere near long enough: Michael Gambon, Miranda Richardson, Richard Griffiths, Ian McDiarmid, Christopher Walken and Christopher Lee amongst others. Johnny Depp stars as the slightly eccentric and squeamish 18th century policeman Ichabod Crane, sent by his superiors to the small hamlet of Sleepy Hollow to investigate a series of murders where the victims have all been beheaded. Crane believes in new fangled science methods of detection and is confident he'll solve the crimes but soon finds the townsfolk believe a headless horseman has risen from the grave to exact revenge on them. As the bodies pile up Crane discovers that someone in the town is part of the terrible reign of terror. Christina Ricci plays the love interest but has little else to do other than need to be saved and Depp doesn't seem to be trying too hard having perfected the hapless, naïve type character before, indeed his Crane reminded me of his Blake in Dead Man (1995). Style wise the film is very reminiscent of the 1960s Hammer Horrors. It's enjoyable but fails on repeated viewings simply because once the plot is all revealed the film offers little else. Worth seeing if you never have though.