Hey folks, Harry here with a report from Sherlock Jr about and concerning... SLEEPY HOLLOW... a film that he seems to like but says falls short of being great. Personally I'm eagerly awaiting good ol Moriarty's peek at the film. He and I have shared an equaled enthusiasm for the project from the get go. Sigh... Alas... we shall see how it goes then...

Dear Harry,

Just got back from the trade screening of SLEEPY HOLLOW and will give my thoughts below.

Enjoyed Knowles and Ebert. I had to tape it and the double Simpsons shows to watch later. We were busy scaring the shit out of both kids and adults. My 11 year-old and a friend helped me set up our annual haunted yard and garage for passing trick or theaters. They got into freezing in position and jumping at the right time. In past years my kids went collecting treats the whole night leaving me to operate everything, answer the door, give out treats and do a little act around whatever theme I'd created. This year was fin because they came back early and joined in the festivities. Hiding behind my favorite mask (a two-faded Tor Johnson ...on head balanced upside-down on the other), I too stood perfectly still as visitors approached. Soon my eyes started to hurt. I wondered if the latex mask was affecting them. But then I realized that I was keeping my eyes open wide and perfectly still so as not to move a muscle. It was causing eye strain. Finally I remembered, they can't see my eyes...which are hidden behind this huge mask. Duh.

Sherlock Jr.

SLEEPY HOLLOW

Every time a new Tim Burton project is announced, I get excited about it. They always sound wonderful and promise a totally unique cinematic experience. On the latter, I am not disappointed. A Burton film will look incredible and unlike anybody else's work. But upon delivery, something seems to fall apart. I still enjoy the films but usually am sorely disappointed.

His first short, VINCENT is a near perfect animated piece about a little boy who wants to grow up to be Vincent Price (could it be autobiographical?). FRANKENWEENIE is a great concept, looks amazing but stretches out way too long. 15 minutes would have been wonderful but Burton couldn't fill 27 minutes with a compelling narrative. PEE WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE was his first feature and arguably his most successful film (with ED WOOD) because it accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do. BEETLEJUICE was lots of fun but felt padded to the detriment of its total enjoyment (though I still like to watch it). All I remember about BATMAN is that I was really hyped going in and totally bored halfway through it. As expected, it looked amazing but left me cold and uninvolved. Batman has become a much darker character than the comic I grew up with in the early sixties and I appreciate what Burton was trying to do but it wasn't for me. With EDWARD SCISSORHANDS he got to work with V. Price and much of this fairy tale was truly magical but it bogged down at several points. His collaborations with Henry Selick, NIGHTMARE BEFORE XMAS and JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH are as unique to animation as his other films are to live action though again they fail to maintain interest throughout. With a strong script and compelling subject matter, ED WOOD stands on its own. More traditional in narrative structure that his other works, Burton shows a depth previously only hinted at. As MARS ATTACKS approached, I couldn't wait, despite insider gossip that it didn't work. At a packed advance screening I sat with my mouth wide open. I saw things that blew me away. But I was also aghast at the mess of a story line.

So I clearly have a love-dislike relationship with most of Burton's work. Based on the trailer and better-than-most website, I have allowed my enthusiasm for SLEEPY HOLLOW to convince me that this would be the perfect Burton film. The screening room had 4 times more people than usual at these things, though few seemed to really be in "the business." The fans were there.

SPOILERS!!!!!!!! WARNING!!!!!!! BEWARE!!!!!!!!!!!

The film opens with a breathtaking pursuit of Martin Landau (unbilled) resulting in the (off-screen) loss of his head. We get into the action without hesitation. Cut to New York, 1799 on the eve of a new millennium (reminding us that people have gone through this before). Ichabod Crane (Johnny Depp) is longer has the occupation of Washington Irving's story (though advance Paramount info led industry service EDI to say "a small-town schoolmaster who proves his bravery to a young woman by vowing to travel a road said to be haunted by a headless horseman..."). He handles criminal investigations and is being sent upstate to Sleepy Hollow where a trio of beheadings have occurred. Like so many of Burton's lead characters he is an eccentric creative type, having invented numerous odd-looking instruments to assist in his work. No sooner than Crane arrives than more beheadings occur, each more startling and graphic. The towns people are an odd lot with possible in-breeding. Crane alternates from being fearless in pursuit of the mysterious perpetrator of violent deaths and fainting. Katrina Van Tassel (Christina Ricci) is immediately attracted to him but doesn't get involved until her beau (Caspar Van Dien) loses his head. In fact just about everybody with a speaking part will be silenced before long. Crane bravely goes looking for the horseman and finds a shock at the tree of death in one of the movie's more intriguing scenes. At about this point in the movie a subplot is introduced which explains why the horseman is headless and why he needs to collect all these other heads. It involves witchcraft and is only partially successful as a story thread (though it is interesting to compare to extremes that SLEEPY HOLLOW and BLAIR WITCH represent). Action picks up taking us to the happy ending.

I loved watching as always. The mood and art direction are knockouts. But the pattern of my concern (discussed above) happens again. The narrative plods along, never really uninteresting but hardly compelling. At nearly 2 hours, I wanted to nod off. As a 90 minute film it might have had the punch needed to make it much better. Depp and Ricci seem flat, especially compared to some strong, if over-the-top performances from Miranda Richardson, Michael Gambon, Jeffrey Jones and Michael Gough. The tree effects are good and the sight of the horse and rider leaping forth is amazing. The latter beheadings are convincing. Danny Elfman's music sets the mood but I didn't find it distinctive.

This is nit-picking but with the attention to visual detail, there is a major continuity flub where Depp becomes covered in blood and then jumps on a horse in hot pursuit...with a washed clean face. Hmmmm. I also felt Burton would love to make a 3-D movie. Several scenes involve stuff being thrown at us. Can you imagine Burton doing a featurette for IMAX 3-D? That would be something. Short and too the point.

Burton gets to work with child-hood horror hero Christopher Lee in an uneventful scene as a judge and Michael Gough in a small but memorable role.

This is really a Scott Rudin production but American Zoetrope and Francis Ford Coppola are credited as executive producers. I don't think FFC had any involvement in the film but must have once held an interest in the project. Burton also became friends when he did post-production on MARS ATTACKS at Zoetrope in San Francisco (as well as when NIGHTMARE and JAMES were made in SF).

I feel like I'm leaving out some thoughts I had during the film but you get the point. I wouldn't have missed it for the world. I'm just sorry it wasn't up to the standard I want to set for Burton. The film is certain to open very well with only the Bond as serious competition. Teens are intrigued by the trailer and TV spots and they have continued to support horror this year. It is a great alternative to hanging around the house during Thanksgiving weekend though END OF DAYS will be strong competition then.

None of the above should keep Burton and horror fans from going. You'll get some thrills, great mood, a few possible shivers and some uncomfortable laughs when it is uncertain if that reaction is expected from the audience. You just won't get the great gothic horror film you expected.