Film Analysis of Sleepy Hollow

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Tim Burton directed Sleepy Hollow in 1999. It is starring the famous actor Johnny Depp and the actress Christina Ricci. In the first part of the opening scene a man who is called David van Garrett signs a testament. Another person signs it too, however, we do not get to know this person. Following that, in a stormy night, van Garrett drives in his coach where his notices that his coach driver was just decapitated by an unknown. After noticing that, he jumps out of his coach, runs through a corn field where he eventually also gets decapitated. This opening scene is made mysterious and tense by adding key techniques to it such as music, camera shots/angles, lighting/color and the acting itself. First of all, and in my opinion the most important one, is the music that is being added to the scene. We can hear the music throughout the first part of the film the whole time. This is done to keep the audience attention in order that it does not get boring. The music that is been played is dark classical music. Mostly string music is played which means that cellos and violins are the dominant instruments. However, a few brass instruments also get involved at times. For example, when it gets a bit more dramatic, you can hear them in the background. The music has a huge effect on this opening scene because it tries to make everything more tense and mysterious. It has such a huge impact it on how we see the action because as the music is very slow and dark we tend to think that something sad or mysterious will happen. In other words, it changes the mood of the film because if we would hear happy and relaxed music to the same scene we wouldn't be able to know that something dramatic will happen. This means that music always builds up to an important part of the scene. In other words, the music gives you clues because as it gets more intense you know that something will
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