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Sleepy
Hollow
(1999) |
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Fortunately Tim Burton still has some believers left in tinsel town and the big studio's are still willing to pay big bucks for his extravagant, yet wonderful visions. Sleepy Hollow follows a couple of years on from the mega flop Mars Attacks which lost Burton plenty of goodwill and further blotted his already rather chequered CV. Mars Attacks was colossally expensive and failed miserably causing major damage at Warner Bros. Prior to that Burton had delivered the superlative Ed Wood for Touchstone and though it won huge critical acclaim, the public at large stayed away. Here with Sleepy Hollow Burton gets to indulge in some of his favourite aspects of film making. The gothic setting, the macabre, lurking horror of the storyline, the quirky, intense black humour as well as the chance to create a loving ode to the films made by Britain's fabulous Hammer Studio's in the 50's and 60's. The opening scenes are spectacularly staged with some of the most stunning visuals since Copolla's Dracula about ten years ago. Burton's red appear more blood red than ever and his blacks, darker than ever before. The swirling mists, crackling thunderstruck sky, the baying wolves magnificently recreate the lost world of Hammer at its most nightmarishly surreal.
A horse driven carriage winds its way perilously through the dramatic country backdrop, the lightening flashes to illuminate a Halloween time scarecrow with a pumpkin head and that hideously carved grin; that typical frozen death cackle, mocking and leering as the doomed passengers hurtle by. The legendary Headless Horseman makes his dazzling appearance, all swishing blade and manic fury. Mayhem ensues and limbs go flying with warm blood splattering the fresh layer of snow below. The Horseman gallops off into the layers of darkness just as swiftly as he emerged, leaving behind a sinister undulating mist and his grotesque signature for all to admire.
Its pretty breathtaking stuff from Tim Burton and the expectations are suitably high after the grand opening. The next scene is another stunner. A shot of New York City in 1799 at the turn of the century with its infant "skyline" is Burton at his most brilliant and having watched spellbound the unfurling cast to a most sumptuous country backdrop, you just know you are in for the most amazing visual feast for many a trip to the cinema. The visual aspect of the film is so powerful and the imagery so stunningly alluring that it is almost a distraction as one can almost get lost in the sheer beauty of what is on display and forget to follow the mystery at hand. Johnny Depp is presented to us as a wacky scientist, way ahead of his time who is summoned and sent by the County Court presided over by the supreme Christopher Lee to investigate the town of Sleepy Hollow from where very disturbing reports had been emanating of gruesome massacres being perpetrated by a maniacal head-hunting horseman. Depp may be a little odd, especially with that fancy bag of tricks he carries around as though his life depended on it, but he is actually quite perceptive at what he does not that it helps him solve the mystery surrounding the Horseman. Ichabod (Depp) goes off to investigate and is confronted by a town under siege. A town shuddering from the fear of the murderous Horseman. The towns elite are partying it up however, even though their parties are tinged with a frantic edge, like the Roman's festivities just before the Empire crashed. There is a sense of hopelessness in the face of the onslaught by the Horseman and they are relieved when Ichabod, however strange he appears, arrives to investigate the deaths.
There is a very rich array of talent on display here and much of it the old school from Britain. It is a joy to behold Christopher Lee, Michael Gambon, Richard Griffiths (the magnificent Monty from Withnail) as well as Burton regulars like Jeffrey Jones, all enjoying the overly dramatic Hammer like atmosphere and the liberty to ham to a hilt. Jones's wig has to be seen to be believed. Depp is as only he would have the courage to be - completely weird. He is a total anti hero in this movie in the sense that he is quite pathetic in many ways. A simpering git and a bit of a twit, even slightly effete, but with certain qualities none the less. One can think of no other Hollywood leading actor who would have the courage to play roles that are so unconventional and down right strange. Christina Ricci is difficult to recognize after her previous film as she is metamorphosing so much these days. She manages to exude just about the right blend of allure and mystery for her part. In the end perhaps the humour may have dissipated the thriller/horror aspect of the movie somewhat and other than the shock scenes and the spectacular effects, there is little that actually scares. It works best as a campy ode to Hammer and as sumptuous a visual experience - dramatic, stunningly beautiful, with stirring music and winning performances. It doesn't work as well as a taut horror film or thriller and may well disappoint those horror fans looking for a scare or two. Come expecting a typical Tim Burton experience, and you wont be disappointed. Its basically Burtons interpretation of a Hammer all dressed up and given the royal treatment that they so richly deserve.
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