Hey folks.... Man... I think I've just finished one of my best weeks of movie watching ever (MAN OF THE CENTURY, PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE, AMERICAN MOVIE, JOAN OF ARC, PITCH BLACK, THE INSIDER, BEING JOHN MALKOVICH and the University of Texas/University of Nebraska football game.) I'm exhausted... but... BUT... Man, this year the films just don't stop.... TOY STORY 2, GREEN MILE, MAGNOLIA and ... this one.... SLEEPY HOLLOW... I'm dying from joy here. Let's keep this ball rolling. Weeeee....
Hey Harry, Compukiller here. I just got back from a test screening of SLEEPY HOLLOW, which was held here in New Jersey at the Loews Cineplex 14 in Wayne New Jersey on October 23. A great theater to visit if ever in the area.
On to the movie...
Well, what can I say, other than that this is hands down the best Horrror film of 1999, and one of the best of the decade. There really hasnt been a true gothic horror film in awhile, but this damn sure fits the bill. This film definetly rests in the higher ranks of Tim Burton's films, and will most likely be his most financially success one in awhile.
Since everyone knows the plot, I'll skip a description as well as any spoilers, and tell you what I thought of the film.
The performances were all great. Johnny Depp hits every note perfectly as Ichabod Crane. His accent is flawless, and his mannerisms are so well executed, that halfway through you forget that you are seeing Johnny Depp, much like his performances in ED WOOD, EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, and DONNIE BRASCO. Christina Ricci gives a good performance, although her accent needed some work. Christopher Walken is at his most freakiest as the Horseman (although he has no dialog). Also Micheal Gambon, Jeffrey Jones, Micheal Gough, Ian McDiarmid and especially Miranda Richardson are all very good in their roles. and I must commend Ray Park for another dazzling stunt performance as the horseman.
The cinematography is first rate all the way. This film had a look and feel that really gets under your skin. If Burton used any soundstages, you really can't tell. Everything looks surreal, much like a nightmare. (FYI, parts of this film were recently reshot in Morristown, N.J.)
Danny Elman's score is great, as expected. The special effects were also very nifty, and luckily CGI was not over used. I don't know what the general response will be, as the audience I saw it with responded very well to the humorous parts (and there are many), but many seemed turned off by the more violent content. In fact, I would even say that having this much gore in a big budget film is definetly a risk. I felt it was all appropriate, but I am a gore hound.
The one minor complaint I had about the film was the climax. The final chase was classic, but it was preceded by the whole villian-explain-everything-to-the-hero-before-the-actual-plan-is-carried-out-scene. The way the many story elements come together was unexpected, and geniunely intriging, but the manner in which it was all revealed seemed a little cliched. Still, a great climax, and I honestly don't know another way it could have been done.
Anyway, I wholeheartedly reccomend it to anyone looking for a great horror film. Any punk-asses looking for a slasher flick with half naked teens running around spouting pseudo-cool dialog that seems to pass for horror nowadays, STAY THE FUCK HOME!!!!
Compukiller
P.S. Contrary to what the NRG guy said, the film looked complete in everyway, except for final credits.
