Tim Burton bases his film Sleepy Hollow on Washington
Irving’s short story. Burton does use quite a number of things from the short
story, but he also manages to make it his own unique project and it would not
be Tim Burton if he did not. Burton manages to create an entire new feel and
atmosphere to the original story. Washington Irving’s story has much to do with
the outside and other aspects of nature. It actually has a sort of pastoral
feel to it, leaving one to imagine just how high-key it has the potential to
be. Burton’s film on the other hand is not high-key at all. It is very foggy
and dark, leaving it to be low-key. With the use of atmosphere, Burton develops
an entire new genre from Irving’s story. Along with the genre, Burton changes
much about the main character Ichabor Crane. Minor changes to other characters
that are not essential to the plot do not really effect the
story. But Burton did not majorly change other characters, he decided to make
the change with Crane. Along with changing his physical appearance, Burton also
changes his occupation which in turn alters the storyline greatly. Another
character who is important to the film who Burton changes is Katherine Van
Tassell. In the story she is not interested in Crane and does not want to marry
him. Burton makes Katherine actually fall in love with Crane. They share an
undeniable connection and it is obvious that they will end up together by the
closing of the movie. All of these differences had the power to completely
change Irving’s story. Also, in Irving’s story people do not have a horribly
gruesome death by getting their heads decapitated from their bodies for
instance. No one even dies in Irving’s
story. This all goes to show how Burton created a new film from the skeleton/
blueprint of Washington Irving’s story. It is safe to say that Burton takes the
bait (Irving’s story being this bait) and runs with it. Burton no doubt is a
very creative individual and is perfectly able to create anything out of
anything.
Why are these changes in character important and how is it that they effect the story? Consider, for instance, that Ichabod Crane is truly in love with Katrina Van Tassel in Burton's film, while Crane in Irving's story is only in love with the dowry that he could receive from marrying Van Tassel. In Irving's story, Brom Bones is threatened by Crane pursuing Van Tassel, but in Burton's story Crane backs off because Van Tassel already has Bones as a suitor. Consider how this changes the outcome of both stories. In Irving's, Crane's pursuit of Van Tassel gets him run out of town by Bones pretending to be the hessian, but in Burton's film, because Crane does not pursue her, Bones is arrogant and tries to kill the actual hessian and dies because of it. This is very important because Crane now has a different personality than in Irving's story, and the plots and ends of the stories are very different because of this minor personality difference.
ReplyDelete-Summer Balbero