Sleepy Hollow Shooting Script
EXT. CEMETERY/CHURCH-(TIME CUT)-LATER DAY
The funeral is done. People head out from the cemetery.
Ichabod walks with the Van Tassels. Baltus holds Katrina’s hand. Young Masbath runs to catch up with Ichabod.
YOUNG MASBATH Mister Constable, sir…
Ichabod stops.
ICHABOD You are Young Masbath…
YOUNG MASBATH I was Young Masbath, but now the only one. Masbath at your service, in honor bound to avenge my father.
ICHABOD Well, one-and-only Masbath, I thank you, but your mother will need you more than I.
YOUNG MASBATH My mother is in heaven, sir, and has my father now to care for her. But you have no one to serve you, and I am your man, sir.
ICHABOD And a brave man too, but I cannot be the one to look after you. I am sorry for your loss, young Mister Masbath.
Ichabod moves away, watched disconsolately by Masbath.
Ichabod finds his sleeve furtively plucked by Philipse.
PHILIPSE Constable…
ICHABOD Mr. Philipse… ?
Philipse looks around anxiously to see if they’re observed.
PHILIPSE Something you should know. Jonathan Masbath was not the fourth victim but the fifth!
ICHABOD The fifth?
PHILIPSE Aye. Five victims in four graves!
ICHABOD But who… ?
Philipse sees that Steenwyck has noticed the encounter. He breaks off and scuttles away.
Ichabod turns his gaze toward…
The fresh grave of Jonathan Masbath, and three more graves almost as recent: The Van Garretts are just receiving their brand new headstones, and Widow Winship’s grave is marked for the present by a simple wooden cross with her name on it.
Ichabod sees Killian and nods to him.
ICHABOD (CONT’D) Mr. Killian… I will need the help you offered.
INT. STABLE-DAY
Ichabod lifts the lid of a large feed bin half full of horse feed. Young Masbath is curled up inside like a mouse in a nest. Homeless.
ICHABOD Find a place in the Van Tassel’s servant quarters. Wake me before dawn. I hope you have a strong stomach.
Ichabod walks away, disgruntled.
YOUNG MASBATH Thank you, sir.
EXT. CEMETERY-NIGHT/DAWN
The lid of a muddy coffin is wrenched open. The coffin contains a headless corpse. Just the one.
What’s happening?
The coffin is on the ground next to the hole marked by the headstone of Peter Van Garrett.
Killian holds a lantern and a spade. Ichabod, holding a handkerchief to his face, looks into the open coffin. He nods. Ichabod, in shirtsleeves and sweating, has a spade too. Young Masbath is watching uneasily. This is why Young Masbath would need a “strong stomach.” He gags, almost pukes.
At Ichabod’s nod, Killian replaces the lid. Killian has Two Men with him. There are two more coffins and two more piles of dirt, one coffin for Dirk Van Garrett and one for Widow Winship.
Ichabod moves to the second coffin. It contains a headless corpse. Just the one. Ichabod nods, and the lid is replaced.
The third coffin-the Widow’s-is being opened by one of the Men. Ichabod takes a lantern and looks expectantly as the lid comes off. The Widow’s headless corpse is alone in the coffin.
Ichabod pauses. Nods. As the lid is about to be replaced. He stops it.
ICHABOD Wait.
Ichabod takes out a small penknife and cuts through the shroud. He reveals the belly. He stares at it. Was she pregnant? It’s impossible to tell. But there is the wound of a sword stab in the stomach.
Suddenly there is a screech, which seems to come from the corpse, giving heart attacks all around-but now we see a “ghost” holding a lantern. It’s Reverend Steenwyck who has discovered them and is shrieking in outrage.
STEENWYCK Sacrilege! Sacrilege!
Ichabod recovers.
ICHABOD Science… science, Reverend Steenwyck! Someone in Sleepy Hollow is using the Horseman story for his own murderous purpose, and I intend to… dig it out.
Steenwyck froths, looks terrified and backs off.
INT. DOCTOR’S RESIDENCE, MEDICAL ROOM-DAY
Ichabod and Killian, helped by Young Masbath, carry the Widow’s muddy coffin inside. Doctor Lancaster watches in horror, sweating profusely, freaked out.
DOCTOR LANCASTER This is… most irregular, Constable.
ICHABOD I should hope so. But in this case, necessary.
The coffin is put down.
ICHABOD (CONT’D) I will need to operate.
DOCTOR LANCASTER Operate? She’s dead!
ICHABOD (thrown) When we say “operate,” we mean, of course… er, I’ll need the operating table. Lay her out, please. (to Young Masbath) Go on, nothing to be afraid of.
When Killian and Young Masbath lay out the corpse, Ichabod gulps water and studies the pages of his Ledger.
ICHABOD (CONT’D) There is a common thread between these victims.
DOCTOR LANCASTER And what’s that?
ICHABOD (closing the Ledger) I don’t know.
He goes to examine the corpse. Young Masbath retreats to a corner, ill at ease.
ICHABOD (CONT’D) Once more, the neck wound cauterized. The sword thrust to the stomach, the same, perhaps by chemical means. But to what purpose?
Ichabod gingerly feels the corpse’s stomach. The Doctor watches. We get the feeling he “knows something.”
DOCTOR LANCASTER To what is your purpose, is the question.
Ichabod takes a rolled VELVET CLOTH from his satchel, unrolls it… it holds SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS, some particularly strange: RIB-SPEADERS and CURVED CLAMPS.
DOCTOR LANCASTER (CONT’D) What manner of instruments are those?
ICHABOD Some of my own design.
Ichabod picks through his instruments, unsure. He looks to the corpse a long moment. He looks at Young Masbath.
ICHABOD (CONT’D) Step outside. Thank you for your help, Mr. Killian. And, if you do not mind, Doctor, my concentration suffers when I am observed.
Ichabod watches Killian, Young Masbath and Lancaster go. He quickly returns to his satchel, pulling out a BOOK: HUMAN ANATOMY. He searches the pages…
He flips through DRAWINGS of ANATOMY, then sets the book open nearby so he can refer to it. He picks up a KNIFE, stands at the corpse, taking a deep uncertain breath.
Ichabod cuts into the Widow’s belly, but stops, looking horrified at what he’s done. He leans close to study the book again, worried. He makes another incision… He looks down at it, queasy.
EXT. DOCTOR’S RESIDENCE-DAY
Young Masbath sits waiting.
Doctor Lancaster stands with Philipse (hung over), Steenwyck and Hardenbrook, speaking agitatedly. OTHER PEOPLE have gathered in the background.
The door to the doctor’s residence opens and Ichabod steps out. He is bloodied, shaken, futilely wiping at the mess with a blood-covered cloth, looking up…
All attention goes to Ichabod. Everyone’s horrified.
ICHABOD I am… finished.
STEENWYCK What in God’s name have you done to her? (pointing) Magistrate Philipse, you are the word of law here… put him in irons!
Philipse and Ichabod exchange a look. Philipse nips from his flask.
PHILIPSE And what did you find out, Constable?
ICHABOD That there are not four victims but five. The Widow Winship was with child!
The small crowd murmurs, shocked. Doctor Lancaster recovers, furious.
DOCTOR LANCASTER What of it? She should have been left to make her peace with God and not cut to bits by the Constabulary!
Ichabod is shaken for a moment, remembering the similar charge made against him in New York.
ICHABOD The sword was thrust into the womb and no farther. A symbolic murder. We are dealing with a madman.
EXT. LONG STRAIGHT ROAD, COVERED BRIDGE-LATER NIGHT
Pale moonlight. Ichabod rides Gunpowder across the COVERED BRIDGE. They are an ungainly pair.
Following the road, Ichabod is lost in thought. The CLOPPING of HOOFBEATS is HEARD on the bridge behind.
Ichabod turns to look. HOOFBEATS STOP. No one can be seen in the dark mouth of the bridge. CRICKETS CHIRP.
ICHABOD Who’s there?
Ichabod faces forward, continuing to the forest.
He hums a tune to himself, tone deaf. After a moment, a HORSE is HEARD SNORTING, HOOFBEATS RESUME. Ichabod stops Gunpowder.
