Sleepy Hollow: “Heads Will Roll” Essay, Research Paper

Have you ever heard of The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow? It?s a wonderful story, written by Washington Irving in 1819. It was then made into a movie entitled Sleepy Hollow by the gothic film maker Tim Burton in 1999.

Basically, it tells the story of a constable named Ichabod Crane sent to a small Dutch community called Sleepy Hollow in the state of New York to investigate the deaths of many people found with their heads cut off. The locals say that the murders have been committed by the legendary Headless Horseman and Ichabod does not believe this, but with the help of the fair Katrina Van Tassel, the daughter of the town?s richest man, and the young son of one of the victims, young Masbath, he finds out indeed that a horseman was the key to the murders, but that he was controlled by a person of flesh and blood that possessed his skull, Katrina?s evil stepmother! She killed everyone that made her family suffer in the past to avenge herself and she also assassinated everyone that stood in her path to steal the richest man in town?s fortune: her husband. So Ichabod then recuperates the skull, gives it back to the horseman who then takes Katrina?s mother into his bloody grave with him.

The story takes place in 1799, and the movie represents that time very well. For example, when they write, they use a feather and some ink instead of a pen. Also, there are no cars in the movie, only horses are used. Another thing that is representative of the eighteenth century is that people have mostly wooden objects (except for weapons) and they wear pretty old garments. The people of Sleepy Hollow think that everything that is different comes from Hell and that it?s a manifestation of Satan. Church plays a very important part in the lives of the inhabitants. And there?s more! The people have old manners. They talk with a wonderful eloquence and they always act the best they can 24/7. Let?s take for example Ichabod Crane. Not once did I hear him curse throughout the movie or be impolite with any lady, or even in that case, any man.

Now, let?s talk about the element of supernatural in the movie. In my opinion, this adds a lot to the movie. And that is simply because the main character, Ichabod Crane, a so-called ?geek? that believes only in things that could be proven scientifically ended up believing that a ?Headless Horseman? from Hell is chopping people?s heads off? That, in my humble opinion, is very interesting and is probably what keeps people from getting bored throughout the whole movie. I, for one, unlike constable Crane, believe in the supernatural. I never like to say that something does not exist, because if it does, I won?t end up looking bad. What convinced me mostly in believing in that element is all those people on television that claim to have seen ghosts, or zombies, or stuff like that. Some people like to call them deviates, but I treat them as prophets. What?s the purpose of television if not to tell the truth?

And now, it?s time for dessert: my critic of the movie! A fabulous story, backed up by great acting and wonderful directing makes a great movie like Sleepy Hollow. I, personally, liked the movie a lot, but if we exclude the whole Hessian Horseman coming out from the depths of Hell, some parts were quite difficult to swallow. How could a young person like Ichabod Crane invent all those modern medical gadgets? Also, how the heck can a windmill blow up? Was it filled with radioactive corn or something? I think you realize what I?m getting at… All in all, Sleepy Hollow is a great movie. Not perfect, but it comes extremely close?