Sleepy Hollow: Music from the Motion Picture [SOUNDTRACK]

Danny Elfman (Composer)

Product Details

• Composer: Danny Elfman
• Audio CD (November 16, 1999)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Hollywood Records
• ASIN: B00003000W
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (57 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #48,974 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Pop musician and film composer Danny Elfman continues his longstanding collaboration with director Tim Burton (Elfman made his movie music debut way back in 1985 on Pee-Wee's Big Adventure) with Sleepy Hollow. For Burton's cinematic take on the ghoulish Washington Irving classic, Johnny Depp stars as Ichabod Crane, while Elfman does his best to create some truly frightful mood music. Needless to say, he succeeds. Dramatic string passages, crashing percussion, and a children's choir all contribute to this eerie movie score that never settles on a singular theme. "Into the Woods" is the disc's creepiest moment, where the sounds of strings, brass, and a choir create a web of suspense. There are no dull moments here; whether driving and powerful ("Introduction") or mysterious and ethereal ("Sweet Dreams"), Elfman's score is--as usual--superb. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Perfect Halloween Film and Score, February 18, 2000

By	michael g. stathis (Cedar City, Utah) - See all my reviews

In what may have been one of the greatest marketing blunders in film history, director Tim Burton's "Sleepy Hallow" (1999) was released just before Thanksgiving! The film has already been called the perfect Halloween movie, and that it well may be. It certainly has one of the greatest Halloween scores ever written. Danny Elfman produced what may become a seasonal, musical classic. His driving and melodic music is as important to the film as its outstanding cinematography. Elfman uses a variety of themes here, but his main theme, a pounding and relentless theme for the horseman, and a haunting children's chorus for young Ichabod are at the center of the enitre score. Fans of Elfman may note that this score seems to be a dark reflection of his outstanding, earlier work for "Black Beauty" (1994). The Introduction, Main Titles, and the suite for the End Credits are particularly good. The score works perfectly for the film, and is fascinating listening in this soundtrack recording. Wait for a stormy night, turn off the lights, light a candle or two and enjoy!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Frightfully Fitting, March 15, 2000

By	E. A. Wilson (Oregon) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When it comes to a Tim Burton atmosphere, there is only one composer who fits the profile: Danny Elfman. The music score to Sleepy Hollow reflects this throughout the entire 67 minutes. During this time, Elfman invites you into the creepy woods surrounding the town of Sleepy Hollow and uses his adept musical talents to make you wonder what that really was that you heard in the closet.

Beginning this score with a killer introduction that blends a low-toned harp with quietly escalating strings that shiver with fright all the while a ghastly choir moans with a deathly melody, was a superb way to seize the audience and ensure their attention. Elfman's ability to bring out the choir to the near-perfect degree was incredible - and it lasted throughout the entire score. A great deal of the melody came from the choir, which at times seemed to be speaking in its own language of ooohs and aaahs. I got an uncanny feeling that the choir was actually the ghosts of those who had died, recounting their tales and tragedies.

Many of the tracks awarded the careful listener with a special story. Each one gave a glimpse at something that even the movie couldn't fully portray...something unearthly and vague - in particular, "The Gift" with its sweet mystery, "Into the Woods" with its spectral beauty, and the "End Credits" with its ingenious ensemble of string melodies, choir, and dreamlike percussion.

There were, however, moments when Elfman tended to become a little outrageous with his score, making some parts hard to listen to. Though they fit nicely in the film, these parts can irritate you a little with their loud and abrasive clamor. It's hard to even hear a melody with some of these such parts, simply because you want to skip ahead to the next track instead. Nonetheless, Elfman's score for Sleepy Hollow is sure to set a frightful mood in any darkly lit room.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank Goodness, another great Elfman's Score, November 26, 1999

By	Martin Lauzier (Rimouski, Quebec Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

My oH-my! This is the best Elfman's score since Nightmare before Christmas. This score works. It's so dark and powerful. Danny Elfman have took a lot of Maturity to compose this Grandiose score and he have a great talent to capture the atmosphere of the film and translate his personnality by the music. Another excellent Burton-Elfman collaboration. ''Introduction'' and ''Main titles'' are Subtile. Elfman has found his Nostalgic OLD STYLE that we (the Fans) really loved before. Sleepy Hollow is now one of his best score since Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Sommersby and Nightmare before Christmas. Enjoyable Score for me, and YOU the FANS of Elfman. THIS SCORE IS FOR YOU !