Sleepy hollow is a 1999 american period horror film directed by tim burton. The legend of sleepy hollow has been tackled by filmmakers since, well, practically the beginning. I will be analysing the opening of a horror film called sleepy hollow to do this i will be focusing on narrative, camera angles and shot, mise en scene costume, light, setting, and make up. Sleepy hollow movie facts that will make your head roll. The curse of the headless horseman christopher walken is the legacy of the small town of sleepy hollow. These sleepy hollow worthies are led by the wealthy farmer baltus van. The third film collaboration between johnny depp and burton, the film also features christina ricci, sir michael gambon, miranda richardson, casper van dien, jeffrey jones, ian mcdiarmid, michael. Ichabod crane is sent to sleepy hollow to investigate the decapitations of three people, with the culprit being the legendary apparition, the headless horseman. Analysis of the romantic elements in sleepy hollow bartleby. This movie tells about the legendary ghost of the headless horseman soldier from isolate farming town near, new york named sleepy hollow. Why tim burtons sleepy hollow is an underrated gem collider.
Sleepy hollow is a 1999 period horror film directed by tim burton, interpreting the legend of the headless horseman and based loosely upon the washington irving story the legend of sleepy hollow. Jul 14, 2018 revisiting the horror of sleepy hollow ryan hollinger. Brom and ichabod are conflicting representations of masculinity. By calling the story a legend, irving places it in history with other great legends, like atlantis, the fountain of youth, or the legends of the fall. Analysis of the film sleepy hollow linkedin slideshare. It is a film adaptation loosely based on washington irvings 1820 short story the legend of sleepy hollow, and stars johnny depp and christina ricci, with miranda richardson, michael gambon, casper van dien, and jeffrey jones in supporting roles. Sleepy hollow is one of a science fiction horror comedy movie that directed by tim burton in 1999 and this film take set in the 1799 of the early united states of america atmosphere. Released by hollywood records in 1999 hr622622 containing music from sleepy hollow 1999. Want to see your english teacher break out in hives.
Spearheaded by the eager constable ichabod crane johnny depp and his new. The legend of sleepy hollow is a gothic story by american author washington irving, contained in his collection of 34 essays and short stories entitled the sketch book of geoffrey crayon, gent written while irving was living abroad in birmingham, england, the legend of. Character analysis in the legend of sleepy hollow ichabod crane. It is a town that is quite superstitious and seems to be haunted by the ghost of a headless horserider. A good portion of the film focuses on why exactly a headless horseman is taking out certain members of the sleepy hollow community, with johnny depps ichabod crane at the center of the investigation. For many, sleepy hollow is a return not only for filmmaker tim burton to the darker fantasy worlds of beetlejuice and batman, but also for composer danny elfman not to mention the return of the well known the final confrontation track title. Ichabod, a teacher, is physically weak but clever and a representation of the. Sleepy hollow mise en scene during the scene of sleepy hollow the acting on behalf of johnny depp made him have this weak look to him, but also gave him a serious but funny nature. Legend of sleepy hollow is a kind of a short story which was written by washington irving. Perhaps the most notable uses of cinematography in the film included the lighting techniques, traveling matte techniques, the size of shot, and forced perspective.
Any screenwriter should be allowed license to expand the story as needed, as what. The legend of sleepy hollow is a gothic story by american author washington irving, contained in his collection of 34 essays and short stories entitled the sketch book of geoffrey crayon, gent written while irving was living abroad in birmingham, england, the legend of sleepy hollow was first published in 1820. Kopfe werden rollen ist ein horrorfilm des usamerikanischen regisseurs tim burton. He at first tries to convince the people that the headless horse man is not a real ghost but. Ichabod crane is a schoolteacher from new york who arrives in sleepy hollow to teach the local children and, hopefully, raise his. New york detective ichabod crane is sent to sleepy hollow to investigate a series of mysterious deaths in which the victims are found beheaded. Instant downloads of all 1297 litchart pdfs including the legend of sleepy hollow. The residents of sleepy hollow tend to be superstitious and are prone. In this lesson, well look closer at the various points of the setting that. Tim burtons sleepy hollow is a very dark movie, not just in much of its content and story, but in the pictures and shots themselves. Sleepy hollow is a 1999 american gothic supernatural horror film directed by tim burton. Where as the two children were scared, shocked and vunerable. Literary devices in the legend of sleepy hollow owl eyes.
There were many props used in this film but some of the big ones are the heads of which were embedded within the tree, the sword, lantern, skeleton and also the forest which is also included in the setting as the forest is where the scene is taken, also as part of the setting is the village and house of which the. Its inhabitants are descended from early dutch settlers, and people suspect that an old german doctor or else an indian chief might have cast a spell over the place. Not that the legend of sleepy hollow is appropriate source material for a featurelength film in and of itself. Veracity in storytelling is a defining theme of the legend of sleepy hollow. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on litcharts. It is such an effective story about the ghost in which irving makes the audience to guess the truth beyond the matter after its end. Tim burtons sleepy hollow begins with a story that would not have distinguished one of the lesser films from the hammer horror franchise. Ichabod crane is a schoolteacher from new york who arrives in sleepy hollow to teach the local children and, hopefully, raise his own worldly standing.
Analysis of characters in washington irvings the legend of sleepy hollow, including ichabod crane, katrina van tassel, and abraham brom bones brunt. Within the legend of sleepy hollow in particular, the narrator is a man. This story is based on a real legend and it reveals how the main character, ichabod crane, disappeared. Nov 08, 2011 tim burtons sleepy hollow is a very dark movie, not just in much of its content and story, but in the pictures and shots themselves. The legend of sleepy hollow is part of a collection of stories titled the sketch book of geoffrey crayon, gent. Oct 25, 2010 not that the legend of sleepy hollow is appropriate source material for a featurelength film in and of itself. Sleepy hollow soundtrack from 1999, composed by danny elfman.
In our next lesson we were given the task of producing a short analysis of how a film uses miseenscene. The legend of sleepy hollow summary and analysis free. Screen smart is a show celebrating ryans love for film, games, art and entertainment through. Character analysis in the legend of sleepy hollow owl eyes. Burton is a horror film buff, but his influences for sleepy hollow in particular run deep. Screen smart is a show celebrating ryans love for film, games, art and entertainment through personal retrospective analysis that aims to. The legend of sleepy hollow summary and analysis free essay. Sleepy hollow cinematography this film contained many elements of cinematography that reinforced the dark, occult nature of the film. Dec 10, 2009 i will be analysing the opening of a horror film called sleepy hollow to do this i will be focusing on narrative, camera angles and shot, mise en scene costume, light, setting, and make up. But sleepy hollow suffered from stale acting performances despite several notable cameos that attempted to infuse life into a truly underachieving expansion of the short story for the purposes of filling a feature length picture. Comparing tim burtons sleepy hollow with washington irvings the legend of sleepy hollow in examining washington irvings the legend of sleepy hollow alongside tim burtons film adaption of the story, titled sleepy hollow, a number of fascinating similarities and differences emerge. He believes that is they way to do things but we do see this. It is one thing to see a frightened lawyer being taken for a ride in a carriage by a driver who has lost his head along the way. He is sent to the remote town of sleepy hollow to investigate a series of bizarre murders, in which a number of.
Revisiting the horror of sleepy hollow ryan hollinger. Seems like it doesnt have much to say, but irving sure knows how to pack a punch. This film contained many elements of cinematography that reinforced the dark, occult nature of the film. The legend of sleepy hollow is the closest american literature that has come to produce a classic ghost story. If youre looking for a more faithful adaptation, check out bing crosbys 1949 animated version, the legend of sleepy hollow. As the movie progresses and the plot takes over, sleepy hollow overdoses on both action and exposition.
Grays and dark colors dominate the screen, in everything from the clothes the characters wear, the fur color of the horses they ride, to the environment as a whole. The legend of the sleepy hollow the legend of sleepy hollow is a rather intriguing story about an american man ichabod crane who relocates to the small town of sleepy hollow. Doc sleepy hollow film analysis debola oginni academia. For this weeks film, i decided to watch sleepy hollow, directed by tim burton. The plot follows police constable ichabod crane depp sent. Washington irvings story of the headless horseman in eighteenthcentury new england.
With johnny depp, christina ricci, miranda richardson, michael gambon. The story opens with a note that it has been found among the possessions of the late diedrich knickerbocker, who is the narrator of sleepy hollow. Teach your students to analyze literature like litcharts does. Knickerbocker describes the setting, the quiet, bucolic tarry town in upstate new york that time seems to have passed by. In 1922, the late, great will rogers played ichabod crane in a silent version of the story called the headless horseman. At the highest level we have the writer washington irving, who places his stories under the name of geoffrey crayon, the fictional man responsible for compiling the sketch book. The place is called sleepy hollow because of the calm, even dreamy atmosphere that infuses the entire valley. It is such an effective story about the ghost in which irving makes the audience to. The gothic elements in tim burtons movies film studies essay. The story is distantly removed from the readercrayon has found the story in diedrich knickerbockers papers, who is dead, and who at the end of the story writes that he heard it from an old gentleman, who claimed to not have even believed half of it himself, ultimately getting much.
She was the second wife of baltus van tassel and the stepmother of katrina anne van tassel, secretly known as an evil witch bent on gaining land rights to herself and revenge against the ones who ruined her familys lives through a string of murders. The legend of sleepy hollow tells the story of ichabod crane and his hapless attempt to win the heart and hand of katrina van tassel in the context of a comical ghost story. Tim burtons sleepy hollow is as stylish and atmospheric as any motion picture to. He believes that is they way to do things but we do see this change for his character as well. The stories were wildly popular, both in the united states and abroad, with the legend of sleepy hollow and rip van winkle receiving the most popular and critical acclaim of the stories included in the collection. Sleepy hollow is a drama full of supernatural creatures, mysterious events and the search for the truth about the lives of the witnesses. In season four, following a 250year slumber, ichabod crane tom mison devoted his life and knowledge of the supernatural to defeating the demonic forces that plagued sleepy hollow in the present day. The legend of sleepy hollow is set during the postrevolutionary war period, and is set in a quiet and idyllic town. After a stretch of the later part of this decade, danny elfman has explored with great critical success deeper facets of his stylistic voice.
One of the most striking technical aspects of the legend of sleepy hollow is the layering of the narrative. If it was to be compared to the culture of horror film now and sleepy hollow, there are a lot tribute that has to be focuses on but sleepy hollow by tim burton is one of ideal movie with perfect portrayal of the two contrasting world. The legend of sleepy hollow study guide contains literature essays, a biography of washington irving, a complete etext, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. The legend of sleepy hollow summary and analysis of. An analysis of sleepy hollow movie in the grotesques. Washington irvings the legend of sleepy hollow is one of the few early american short stories that is still widely read today most people are probably familiar with. The legend of sleepy hollow analysis the legend of sleepy hollow begins with a lavish description of the hudson valley and sleepy hollow, a charming hamlet populated by dutch farmers.
This gifted filmmaker has a knack for taking literary classics and putting his own spin on them, pushing the phrase based on the book by far past its recommended limits. The lack of a strong narrative may have been one of the reasons why the film failed to debut for paramount in time. If you want to start a analysissleepyhollow page, just click the edit button above. Lady mary van tassel formerly known as mary archer is the main antagonist of the 1999 live action horror film, sleepy hollow. This essay will delve into the film sleepy hollow, based off the story written by washington irving, and directed by the brilliant tim burton. For its first hour or so, burtons film seems on track to be his best yet. Ichabod comes to sleepy hollow, new york, from his home state of connecticut, to be the schoolmaster of the village. It is a film adaptation loosely inspired by the 1820 short story the legend of sleepy hollow by washington irving and stars johnny depp, christina ricci, miranda richardson, marc pickering, michael gambon, jeffrey jones, casper van dien, ian mcdiarmid, michael gough, and christopher walken. Femininity as weakness in the legend of sleepy hollow. Sleepy hollow mise en scene style of acting the style of acting is quite playful but also serious, with johnny depp bringing some comical aspects to his reactions when he is splattered with blood but the boy and girl reacting in horror. Tim burtons sleepy hollow begins with a story that would not have distinguished one of the lesser films from the hammer horror franchise and elevates it by sheer style and acting into something entertaining and sometimes rather elegant.