Sometimes it surprises me where pop culture icons come from. Most people in America (and other places I am sure) know about The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving...or at least they think they know the story. This is a great little short story that is left open and ambiguous enough to not only be a great little story in its own right, but to be the basis for a whole host of awesome adaptions. (SPOILERS TO ALL KINDS OF BOOKS, STORIES AND MOVIES AHEAD...YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!)
The story is a simple one. A little village in Colonial New England is the site for several tales of hauntings, and ghoulies and ghosties. The very atmosphere of this little village just begs for spooky story's to come into being. Enter our "hero" Ichabod Crane, a foppish dandy of a school teacher who thinks highly of himself. He falls for the coquette Katrina Von Tassel and makes a play for her hand in marriage. This does not sit well with the resident "it" boy Abraham "Brom Bones" Van Brunt, a fun loving mischievous bear of a man who rides with his posse through out the area, causing mayhem, but not maliciously. Ichabod attends a party with the hopes of gaining the lovely Katrina's interest and is regaled with many eerie stories. The main story in the area is of a Hessian soldier who's head was shot off by a cannon ball. He is called the Headless Horseman and can be said to be seen riding between the battlefields and the church searching for his lost head. After being rejected by Katrina, a dejected Ichabod starts his ride home, the tales of the Headless Horseman fresh in his head. He see's a shape and hears a sound and is set upon by a giant on a horse wielding a fiery pumpkin for a head. The apperation chases our hero across the bridge and to the church, where he proceedes to hurl his pumpkin head at the unfortunate Ichabod. Over the next week, no sign of Ichabod is seen, other then his hat lying next to a smashed pumpkin. Some people claim to have seen him back in the city, continuing his educational goals. Others claim that he was taken away on the back of the Headless Horseman's horse. Brom however gets a certain gleam in his eye every time the story is mentioned.
Just a quick little 20 page story, but it has become the basis for many popular and on occasion terrifying movie, here are three of my favorites based on this little tale of terror.
Yep this is Sleepy Hollow the tv show and I am not ashamed to admit I am a little obsessed...it may have a bit to do with the delicious Tom Mison, but I love this crazy, convoluted tale of awesomeness.
Sleepy Hollow the film takes each bit of this little story and expands it as far as it will go...also Johnny Depp
Between the story, tv, and movies hopefully you will find a version of this classic American scary story to suite your needs, or if none of these do it, feel free to make up your own version.
What is your favorite version of Sleepy Hollow? Do you prefer the scary versions or the silly versions? Who loves the Horseless Headsman commercial by Snickers?
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