This Day in Horror History: Tim Burton’s SLEEPY HOLLOW Opened in 1999
On this day in horror history, Tim Burton’s adaptation of Washington Irving’s classic Sleepy Hollow with Johnny Depp and Christina Ricci was unleashed in 1999.
Based on Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the film is set in 1799 and follows New York City police constable Ichabod Crane (Depp) sent to investigate a series of murders in the village of Sleepy Hollow by a mysterious Headless Horseman.
Paramount began developing the film in 1993 after the success of screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker’s Se7en with Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman. Special effects artist and Hellraiser: Bloodline director Kevin Yagher was originally attached to helm the feature which, at the time, was seen more like a low-budget slasher flick.
But creative differences with the studio lead to Paramount replacing Yagher with Burton in summer 1998. Burton filmed the flick from November 1998 to May 1999.
It co-stars Miranda Richardson, Michael Gambon, Casper Van Dien, Jeffrey Jones, Christopher Lee, Richard Griffiths, Ian McDiarmid, Michael Gough, Lisa Marie, Martin Landau, Christopher Walken and Ray Park as the Headless Horseman.
It snagged $30M opening weekend and $101M domestic and $106M overseas for a worldwide total of $207M. It was nominated for three Oscars including Best Cinematography and Best Costume Design and won Best Art Direction.
Produced by Scott Rudin, Adam Schroeder, and Larry Franco, it sports a 69% on Rotten Tomatoes with this Critics Consensus: It isn’t Tim Burton’s best work, but Sleepy Hollow entertains with its stunning visuals and creepy atmosphere.
Do you dig Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow?
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