Questions
Who directed Sleepy Hollow and when did it come out?
Tim Burton directed the Gothic horror film, which was released in 1999.
What story is Sleepy Hollow based on?
It is based on Washington Irving’s 1820 short story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Who stars in the movie?
Johnny Depp stars as Ichabod Crane, with Christina Ricci as Katrina Van Tassel, Miranda Richardson as Lady Van Tassel, Michael Gambon as Baltus Van Tassel, and Christopher Walken as the Hessian Horseman.
Was Johnny Depp always the choice for Ichabod Crane?
Depp was Burton’s first choice, but Paramount reportedly required them to also consider Brad Pitt, Liam Neeson, and Daniel Day-Lewis.
What inspired Depp’s take on Ichabod?
Depp reportedly drew inspiration from Angela Lansbury’s performance in Death on the Nile and Basil Rathbone’s Sherlock Holmes.
Is that really horror legend Christopher Lee in the film?
Yes, Christopher Lee appears as the Burgomaster, a New York City official who sends Ichabod to investigate the murders, part of the film’s nod to Hammer horror.
Did Depp want to change how Ichabod looked?
Depp reportedly wanted a long prosthetic snipe nose, huge ears, and elongated fingers to match Irving’s description, but Paramount turned down his suggestions.
How was the film’s spooky look achieved?
The cinematography used a bleach bypass process to desaturate the image and increase the color black, with Hammer horror influencing the aesthetic.
Did Sleepy Hollow win any Oscars?
Yes, it won the Academy Award for Best Art Direction (Rick Heinrichs and Peter Young), and was nominated for Best Cinematography and Best Costume Design.
Who wrote the music?
Danny Elfman composed the score and won the Golden Satellite Award for it.
Where was the film shot?
Principal photography ran from November 1998 to May 1999, primarily at Leavesden Film Studios in Britain, which had recently been vacated by Star Wars: Episode I.
Was the windmill scene as dangerous as it looks?
The windmill was 60 feet tall built with forced perspective, and actors reportedly had burning wood explode at them during filming.
How did it do at the box office?
Made for between $70 million and $100 million, it earned about $207 million worldwide and gave Depp his highest opening weekend at that point, a record that lasted until Pirates of the Caribbean in 2003.
What did critics think?
It holds a 71% approval on Rotten Tomatoes, and Roger Ebert gave it 3.5 of 4 stars, calling it the best-looking horror film since Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
