Sleepy Hollow Shooting Script
There is SOMEONE back there, on horseback, coming out from the darkness of the bridge, slowly…
ICHABOD (CONT’D) Who are you?
The FIGURE comes into moonlight, on a BLACK HORSE, smoke seeming to rise from him; a dark FIGURE, cloaked-headless.
Ichabod panics, kicking Gunpowder to flee. The figure takes off to follow.
Ichabod whips Gunpowder’s reins, gasping, moving faster. The figure behind also picks up speed.
EXT. SLEEPY HOLLOW FOREST-NIGHT
Gunpowder carries Ichabod into the forest. The headless figure is right behind, cloak flowing…
The HEADLESS FIGURE is HEARD letting out a hellish CRY of rage. Ichabod glances fearfully over his shoulder…
A HORRIBLE FACE with flaming eyes and mouth rushes forward…
It SMASHES into Ichabod-sends him sprawling to the ground in an explosion of red hot ash and cinders…
Ichabod rolls, shaken… looking behind. The trail is empty. HOOFBEATS are HEARD. SEVERAL HORSES.
Ichabod stands. He looks down at the remnants of a BROKEN JACK-O’- LANTERN and smoldering ball of paper on the trail.
The FIGURE rides to a halt, throws off a cloak and “headless” disguise; it’s Brom. Glenn and Theodore ride up, laughing.
Brom also laughs, but when he looks back, the smile leaves his face. He takes grim satisfaction in what he’s done.
Ichabod’s face is haunted, running with the sweat of fear-he is still trembling from the experience.
FEMALE VOICE (V.O.) Ichabod! Ichabod!
And suddenly we are pitched into Ichabod’s DREAM.
ICHABOD’S DREAM-EXT. COTTAGE-DAY
FEMALE VOICE (V.O.) Ichabod! Ichabod… !
A woman is in the doorway, holding out her arms. She seems to be Katrina as Ichabod first saw her, blindfolded.
A YOUNG BOY, aged about seven, runs toward her, with a little bunch of wildflowers.
ICHABOD’S DREAM-YOUNG ICHABOD’S KITCHEN-NIGHT
The Blindfolded Woman is playing the Pickety Witch Game with Ichabod. He is laughing-scared as she grabs the air looking for him. He is holding the wildflowers he picked. She seizes him, kisses him and takes off the blindfold. It’s not Katrina, but his Mother, a kind and lovely face. He gives his Mother the flowers. She puts one of the flowers in her hair, laughing. But the others-she throws on the fire! -and she crouches at the hearthstone, beckoning him, still “nice.” He comes to her, not scared.
As the flowers burn, they give off smoky fumes, which the Mother inhales like perfume, closing her eyes in a trance. He watches fascinated as she picks up a twig and starts drawing pictures- strange designs-in the layer of ash on the hearthstone.
Suddenly Ichabod turns his head to the door, which is opening- spooky because no one is entering. Then he sees at floor level the family CAT has come through the door. A black cat with a white paw.
Ichabod’s Mother is “awakened” by this, just in time as Father, a grim Parson all in black, enters.
Ichabod looks up frightened at the face of his Father.
ICHABOD’S DREAM-YOUNG ICHABOD’S BEDROOM-NIGHT
The Cat is on Ichabod’s bed… watching Mother who is entertaining Ichabod with the Bird-in-Cage Spinning Disc Toy, which we will get to know.
Ichabod is tucked up in bed, astonished and happy. The Bird and Cage blur together.
Lightning flashes outside a window, thunder booms, the storm bursts open the window.
The Cat leaps off the bed, caught in lightning flash, the Toy drops, tangled on the bed. Ichabod covers his face, scared; his Mother hugs him.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, ICHABOD’S ROOM-NIGHT
Ichabod is startled awake, frightened, sweating.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, KITCHEN-NIGHT
Ichabod enters with a lantern and his Ledger. He sits, studies notes, then notices a light down the hall.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, SEWING ROOM-NIGHT
Ichabod enters. Opposite an elaborate LOOM, Katrina reads by candlelight.
She looks up, and self-consciously closes her book, which we see is a child’s version of THE KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE. She covers it on her lap.
ICHABOD Oh… pardon my intrusion… I saw a light…
KATRINA It is no intrusion… I come here to read when I am wakeful.
ICHABOD To read books which you must hide… ?
KATRINA They were my mother’s books… my father frowned at them then, and would frown at me now. He believes tales of romance caused the brain fever that killed my mother. She died two years ago come midwinter.
Ichabod nods.
ICHABOD I saw it written in the front of the Bible.
KATRINA The nurse who cared for her during her sickness is now Lady Van Tassel.
ICHABOD There was something else too. Why did no one think to mention that Van Garretts are kith and kin to the Van Tassels?
KATRINA Why, because there is hardly a household in Sleepy Hollow that is not connected to every other by blood or marriage. I have more cousins than fingers and toes to count them on.
A cock crows. Ichabod goes to the window to look at the edge of dawn.
ICHABOD I see.
KATRINA This land was Van Garrett Land, given to my father when I was in swaddling clothes.
ICHABOD Given by the dead Van Garrett?
KATRINA (nods) The Van Garretts were the richest family round these parts even then. When my father brought us to Sleepy Hollow, Van Garrett set him up with an acre and a broken-down cottage, and a dozen of Van Garrett hens. My father prospered, and built us a new house. I owe my happiness to him. I remember living poor in the cottage. Should I show you?
ICHABOD Yes. I would like to see where you were as poor as I am.
Katrina stands up, revealing a Book that had been on the floor, hidden by her skirt. She picks up the book and gives it to Ichabod.
KATRINA Take this. It is my gift for you.
Ichabod looks at the title page: A COMPENDIUM OF SPELLS, CHARMS AND DEVICES OF THE SPIRIT WORLD.
ICHABOD (troubled) But I have no use for…
KATRINA Are you so certain of everything?
Ichabod sees that Katrina’s name is written on the endpaper, and, in a different hand, her mother’s name, “Elizabeth Van Tassel.”
ICHABOD It was your mother’s… ?
KATRINA Keep it close to your heart. It is sure protection against harm.
ICHABOD (smiles) Are you so certain of everything?
Their eyes meet and hold for a moment. Ichabod accepts the book by placing it on the desk.
EXT. FIELDS-DAY (EARLY MORNING)
Ichabod and Katrina make a pretty picture on horseback, riding slowly toward the cottage.
EXT. SLEEPY HOLLOW FARMLAND-DAY (EARLY MORNING)
Ichabod and Katrina, riding, come upon the ruin of a cottage. There is almost nothing left but the hearth and a part of a chimney.
Ichabod dismounts and helps Katrina down from her horse, taking her hand.
Before he lets go, she notices the little scars on his palm. She takes both his hands and looks at them.
KATRINA These are strange… What are they… ?
ICHABOD I wish I knew. I had them since I can remember.
Katrina holds his hands a moment longer, their eyes meet, then she lets go and “enters” the ruin.
Ichabod’s attention is caught by a red Cardinal on a branch, like the bird he had in New York.
He reflects a moment, then turns to watch Katrina crouching by the hearth. She has put a flower in her hair.
KATRINA I used to play by this hearth. It was my first drawing school and my mother was my teacher.
Unwittingly, Katrina is mimicking Ichabod’s dream. She picks up a twig and starts “drawing” on the hearth stone. Like Ichabod’s mother in his dream.
Ichabod’s blood runs cold but she is unaware of him. Then he notices that a few small wildflowers are growing in the old fireplace. Ichabod feels short of breath, he leans against the stones for support.
KATRINA (CONT’D) Oh, look! I’d forgotten this! -see -carved into the fire-back, the Archer!
Using her fingers she cleans off the dirt around a simple carving of a man with a Bow and Arrow.
KATRINA (CONT’D) This was from long before we lived here.
She turns to show Ichabod and notices him looking strange.
KATRINA (CONT’D) Are you all right?
Ichabod nods, recovering, saying nothing.
Katrina is reassured. Suddenly her attention is caught, as Ichabod’s was, by the Cardinal bird.
KATRINA (CONT’D) (pointing) Oh, look! A Cardinal! My favorite! I would love to have a tame one, but I wouldn’t have the heart to cage him.
Ichabod unslings his satchel.
ICHABOD Then I have something for you.
He has a PAPER DISK with a BIRD on one side and an EMPTY CAGE on the other, pierced by a looped string on which the disk can twist and spin. He demonstrates like a magician. This is the very Toy given to him by his Mother.
ICHABOD (CONT’D) A Cardinal on one side, and an empty cage.
