Sleepy Hollow

This was an okay movie. The special effects/ costumes/ scenery are wonderful and the storyline departs from the original tale in some interesting ways that make the story a little less predictable and give it a more "modern" feel. These are the things we have come to expect from Tim Burton, so if you are a fan of his work you will not be disappointed. Although this is listed in the horror genre- I didn't find it at all scary. It was however a bit (unneccesarily) bloody, so I wouldn't recommend it for the younger set. Also, this "new and modern" version of the storyline has a big emphasis on witchcraft. I'm not a big fan of that...

In this film Ichabod Crane (Johnny Depp) is portrayed as a forensic investigator in New York, who aspires to modernize the 18th century judicial system by investigating crimes from a scientific standpoint (rather than accusing and prosecuting the poor, those w/ a poor reputation or just anyone off the street). [I agree- it's a lot to swallow in the first 5 minutes.] His beliefs are not readily accepted- in fact they appear to tick off just about everyone in NY- so he is sent to investigate a series of murders that have been taking place in the remote village of Sleepy Hollow. Once there, he learns that the townspeople believe the murders have been committed by a headless horseman. Being a man of logic he refuses to accept this, instead insisting that murder can only be committed by those of flesh and blood and he sets out to discover the true identity of the killer.

Great Movie-BD good choice if..........

First of all, I'm a big fan of Tim Burton and this movie. He was able to capture the aptmoshere of late Autumn in the midwest to eastern shore. I had the WS version, but picked up the BD version. It is much clearer than the standard version. I did some scene by scene comparisons using a Sony BD and Sony HDMI players. the BD does show improvement on a 47" screen.

The movie itself is excellent. Very visual even though it uses dark colors to set the mood and time of year. The acting is very good with a great cast of characters. Even though there is much liberty taken over the original story, the plot balances the supernatural with touches of the Washington Irving story.
Even though not for "little" kids (Parents make that decision) it is not a bloodbath even though there are several descriptive decapitations. There is adventure, scares, romance, suspense, mystery, and some great special effects.

Please keep this in mind. If you have a BD player and don't own the film as yet, that is the way to go. If you already have the standard version and a screen under 40" you might be wasting your money unless you are a big fan. If you have a larger screen that does 1080p this will be visually and audibly more vivid. The special features are the same, so there is no advantage there.

Great movie, highly recommended.

Quirky, Smart, Funny and Dark...Just Like Tim Burton

Tim Burton's work is recognizable for its originality, quality and dark and quirky characters. Every frame looks like a painting and on HD everything looks sharper and even in the fog the details can be seen.

In the 19th century, Ichabod Crane (Johnny Depp) works as an investigator in NYC. He is sent to Sleepy Hollow to investigate a series of decapitations. There he meets and falls for Katrina Van Tassel (Christina Ricci), the daughter of one of the town officials - all who seem to be hiding something.

The acting is fantastic. Johnny Depp is at his best when working with Burton, he is vulnerable and weird in every role. The art direction is amazing - the town is gray and cold and very creepy.

Highly recommended! There is violence, it is dark and dreary with some creepy and suspenseful moments (ok, it is mostly creepy and suspenseful) but nothing gory.

Very Very Good!

I have always loved the story of Sleepy Hollow and the Headless Horseman. This movie brought that to a whole new level. Starring Johnny Depp (as Ichabod Crane), Christina Ricci, and Christopher Walken (has the Horseman). I just love the story line and the way it was played out in this movie. Everyone knows the story but Tim Burton twists it like I never would have thought before. Great special effects and acting. Christopher Walken was perfect for that role! This is a great movie that everyone should watch.

Sleepy Hollow DVD

Ah, I can remember when this first came out on VHS, I went to blockbuster with my grandmother and purchased it the first day.
Now everybody I know tells me that I look like Johnny Depp's character Ichabod Crane.

Based off of Washington Irving's famous legend, master storyteller Tim Burton has outdone himself this time.
I couldn't tell you one complaint about this film.

Also, a neat little fact many don't know is that Casper Van Dien (Christina Ricci's character Katrina Van Tassel's love interest) is related to the actual Van Tassel family in real life.