Sleepy Hollow Shooting Script
The Crone gathers STRAW in a pile on the floor, then gathers bowls, putting GRASS and POWDER on the pile, WITHERING over it. She takes a JAR from a table.
ICHABOD What… what are you doing?
The Crone shakes one jar, pulls the lid off and upends it. A BABY BAT squirms, dazed. The Crone grips the bat, uses a knife to cut off its head, soaks the straw with blood.
CRONE Do not move or speak. When the other comes, I will hold him.
Using her candle, the Crone lights the straw pile.
ICHABOD The other… ?
CRONE Silence. (bends to inhale smoke) He comes now.
Ichabod would like to leave now.
EXT. CAVE HOME-DAY
Young Masbath waits. WIND picks up, kicking leaves, sending them in swirls. Masbath holds himself against the chill.
INT. CAVE HOME, LOWER CAVE-DAY
The Crone slumps forward to the floor, suddenly immobile, still with her back to Ichabod. WIND HOWLS through a hole/window.
Ichabod looks around, uncertain, stands.
ICHABOD Excuse me… ma’am… ?
The Crone remains motionless. The WIND intensifies. Candles blow out. Ichabod inches closer…
ICHABOD (CONT’D) Do you hear me… ?
INT. CAVE HOME, LOWER CAVE-DAY
The Crone suddenly jumps erect, spinning-a half-human, half-demon CREATURE, black clawed hands reaching…
Ichabod cries out, leaping backward…
CHAINS on the restraining CUFFS around the creature’s hands go taut, yanking the creature back.
Ichabod KNOCKS over a table of bones, hits the floor. The creature is chained, but still wants Ichabod. It SHRIEKS.
The creature’s face still seethes from transformation.
CREATURE/CRONE You seek the warrior bathed in blood … the Headless Horseman…
Ichabod scrambles back as far as possible. The creature claws the rock floor, yearning.
CREATURE/CRONE (CONT’D) Follow the Indian trail to where the sun dies. Follow to the Tree of the Dead…
The creature yanks, testing the chains. Behind, the BOLT holding the chains slips… the WALL CRACKS a little.
CREATURE/CRONE (CONT’D) Climb down to the Horseman’s resting place. Do you hear… ?
Ichabod nods, quaking, aghast. He glances to the exit.
The chain bolt gives more… coming loose…
Ichabod flees toward the door. The creature HOWLS, leaping… the chain bolt BREAKS…
Ichabod cries out as he is TACKLED to the floor…
INT. CAVE HOME, LOWER CAVE-DAY
It is only the CRONE lying on him; she has returned to human form, semiconscious. Ichabod desperately shoves her off…
EXT. CAVE HOME-DAY
Ichabod sprints out from the cave, past Young Masbath.
ICHABOD We are leaving.
YOUNG MASBATH What happened?
ICHABOD We are leaving now.
Ichabod scrambles onto Gunpowder, riding, glancing back. Young Masbath follows.
EXT. WESTERN WOODS AREA TWO, FARTHER ON-LATER DAY
Ichabod and Young Masbath ride side by side.
ICHABOD (quoting) “Take the Indian trail… To the Tree of the Dead… “
YOUNG MASBATH How will we recognize it?
ICHABOD Without difficulty I rather fear. And “Climb down to the Horseman’s resting place… ” she said.
YOUNG MASBATH His… camp?
ICHABOD His grave.
A SNAPPING BRANCH is HEARD. Ichabod turns to look back…
ICHABOD (CONT’D) (whispers to Masbath) Quicken pace.
Ichabod rides faster. Young Masbath keeps up…
FARTHER ON, they charge over a hill. Ichabod halts Gunpowder, climbs clumsily off, handing the reins to Masbath.
ICHABOD (CONT’D) Ride on.
Young Masbath obeys. Ichabod takes out his pistol and wades into forest growth, backtracking…
EXT. WESTERN WOODS AREA THREE-DAY
INSIDE THE FOREST, Ichabod moves through UNDERBRUSH, keeping low. A HORSE is HEARD SNORTING.
Ichabod forges on, pushes through branches, fearful…
He comes up behind a FIGURE IN A GRAY CLOAK on horseback, raising his pistol, cocking the hammer…
ICHABOD Halt and turn! I have a pistol aimed.
The FIGURE stops, pushes off the cloak hood. It is Katrina.
KATRINA It is me.
ICHABOD (lowers gun, shaken) Katrina… I might have killed you. Why have you come?
KATRINA Because no one else would go with you.
She smiles a little. Ichabod is heartened.
ICHABOD I am now twice the man.
Ichabod takes her hand.
ICHABOD (CONT’D) It is your white magic.
She is about to turn this moment into a kiss-but…
YOUNG MASBATH (O.S.) Pardon my intrusion…
Ichabod and Katrina look to see Masbath has backtracked.
YOUNG MASBATH I think you’d better come and look at this…
Ichabod and Katrina move to follow Young Masbath.
EXT. WESTERN WOODS, TREE OF THE DEAD-DUSK
Ichabod, Masbath and Katrina come into a clearing, slowing their horses… looking up in wonder at…
The monstrously huge TREE OF THE DEAD, at the clearing’s center.
Its branches reach far and wide, knotted and gross, like agony captured in wood sculpture.
YOUNG MASBATH The Tree of the Dead.
KATRINA It does announce itself.
Ichabod dismounts, crossing a line beyond which grass and weeds will not grow. Young Masbath and Katrina dismount behind. They all walk toward the tree…
Ichabod stares up into the endless, dead canopy of branches.
There’s a VERTICAL WOUND in the bark, like a terrible suture, now healed and scarred. Ichabod approaches…
He feels the mushy scar, picking at its scabs till sap begins to run. Red Sap. Ichabod fingers it, sniffs it.
ICHABOD Blood.
KATRINA The tree bleeds? How can it be?
Ichabod goes to where Katrina and Masbath wait with the horses, digs in a saddle bag for a hand AXE.
YOUNG MASBATH What is it?
ICHABOD Stay here.
At the trunk, Ichabod thumps the flat end of the axe against the suture. It sounds hollow. He begins to CHOP…
He CHOPS into the suture… pulls away loose bark. The tree drips more blood and a goo. Ichabod uses both hands on the axe to hack at the festering suture.
KATRINA What are you doing?
ICHABOD Just… keep where you are.
Young Masbath moves closer. Ichabod keeps CHOPPING, then grips a large, loose flap, trying to pull it away. It’s not easy. Ichabod struggles.
