Tim Burton’s Underrated Colonial Classic

(Painting by John Quidor, 1858)

Sleepy Hollow (1999) is a horror movie directed by Tim Burton, written by Kevin Yagher and Andrew Walker, starring Johnny Depp and Christina Ricci. The film focuses on Ichabod Crane, a policeman from New York City, investigating several beheadings in the small village of Sleepy Hollow in upstate New York, where everyone believes the culprit is the ghost of a headless soldier. During his investigations, he is helped by Katrina Van Tassel, the daughter of a wealthy farmer. 

This movie is the most underrated Tim Burton project, and honestly, that should be a crime. The acting, screenplay, suspense, and atmosphere are perfect examples of how to make a horror movie right.

Right from the start, the gloomy color palette pulls you into the little village. The dark colors of the scenery give viewers a perfect picture and atmosphere, while also being light enough to where you can see what’s happening, unlike some newer movies today. 

The atmosphere also greatly aids the acting. As you’re watching, you’re able to put yourself in the characters’ shoes. Depp and Ricci give us likable, relatable characters, a struggle for some period films. Their budding romance gives the audience something to root for as the mystery grows.

The acting adds to the unique storyline of the movie. While the Headless Horseman story came from an old tale by Washington Irving, Burton, Yagher, and Walker took the original, putting a sinister spin on it. The final reveal is something nobody saw coming, but it only helps strengthen the story. 

I give Sleepy Hollow 4/5 stars. If you like Tim Burton, young Johnny Depp, and can stomach lots of blood, this movie is for you.