(The following donated review by John Dunham was moved by Filmtracks to this comment section in May, 2008)
Sleepy Hollow: (Danny Elfman) When I first heard Danny Elfman was
composing the score for this film, I thought the material would be the
perfect opportunity for him to excel at what he does best. Nor was I
disappointed. Sleepy Hollow is truly Elfman's best work in years.
Harkening back to scores such as Batman, Sommersby, and
Dolores Claiborne, it manages to mix Elfman's older, gothic, style
with more modern horror elements, and, of course, massive chorus. The
result is a score that works beautifully, both in the film and on CD.
The Introduction and Main Titles contain the main theme and the horseman
motif. But while Elfman uses them often, "Sleepy Hollow" does not rely on
themes to make an impression. Instead, Elfman uses the choir, violins, and
organ to give the score a malevolent, yet marveling quality. This is best
showcased in track 8, "Into the woods/The witch." The track is creepy, yet
whimsical, offering hints of innocence while maintaining the atmosphere of
impending danger. Tracks 3, 6, 7, and 9 do this to a lesser extent with choral performances of
the main theme to underscore Ichabod's childhood remembrances. While Christian Clemmensen felt
that the wonder of this score abated after the
first half, I believe the bombastic finale is entirely appropriate, and
the ethereal qualities can still be heard in tracks 11, 14, and, to a
degree, 15, 18, and 19.
The action music itself is not as compelling as the rest of the score, but
is still quite enjoyable. While "The Church Battle," "The Chase," and "The
Final Confrontation" are nice, I think the best action music of the score
occurs in "The Church Battle," and "The Tree Of Death." In these tracks,
it is mixed in moderation with more quiet, tense music, and I find that
gives it more appeal. Also, I particularly like the way the strings at the
beginning of "The Church Battle" resemble a horse whinnying, if only for a
few seconds. One action track I wish had been included, however, is "The
Duel." Those of you who've seen the movie know the scene I'm referring to;
Ichabod, one of the villagers, and the horseman are involved in a
spectacular three-way battle. Overall, this is a great score. If you're a fan of Elfman's
gothic works, pick it up immediately. If not, you still should give it a listen. *****
