31 Days of Dread--Day 2

Sleepy Hollow; 1999; written by Kevin Yagher & Andrew Kevin Walker, based on The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving; directed by Tim Burton

Tim Burton brings Washington Irving's classic tale of post-Revolutionary War haunts to beautiful (after-)life, with Johnny Depp as Ichabod Crane and Christina Ricci as his love interest, Katrina Van Tassel.

Burton and his screenwriters take liberties with the story to increase its appeal to a more modern--and demanding--audience, but only fans of the original tale will quibble with the changes.

The result is a film that moves at a brisk gallop through sets and atmospheres that manage to be both gorgeous and gloomy at the same time. The entire thing looks like a series of Hudson School paintings with the brightness turned down fifty percent. Almost twenty years later, the production still looks as though it could be released next week.

There are just enough shudders and shocks to please horror fans, but not so many that fair ladies and gentlemen will find it objectionable.

Sleepy Hollow is available for streaming rental.