Showing posts with label Johnny Depp. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Johnny Depp. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

Who can say no to Tim Mison reading The Legend of Sleepy Hollow for 49 cents?! I sure couldn't!

I was interested in reading the actual story that stemmed a lot of adaptations. I'm sure someone, somewhere pretentiously told me that the adaptations are nothing like the short story, but again... less than 50 cents and Tim Mison reading it? Sure!

Even though I feel slightly dirty now for saying this due to horrible allegations of domestic violence stemming from the pending divorce between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp (to be crystal clear, #imwithamber) but I will say, from what I remembered about the movie, I remembered enjoying it. I liked Burton back in high school (I don't think I ever stopped, actually) and I enjoyed Christopher Walkins and Christina Ricci as well.

Except now I'm a bit grossed out with the age difference between Johnny and Christina in that movie.

Josh and I watched first and half of the second season of Sleepy Hollow with Tom Mison and Nichole Beharie. I really liked the first season of Sleepy Hollow, where the focus was on Abbie, the cop that finds Ichabod Crane and her sister, Jenny. Josh and I lost interest in season 2 where it became solely about Ichabod and Katrina. Also, Ichabod was a Gary Stu if I ever saw one. I swear the man knew everything.

Aw man, why did they cut his hair? He looks even dumber now.

I'm sure there are other adaptations of the Headless Horseman, but obviously they aren't memorable since I don't remember them.

It always takes me a bit to get use to a British voice actor. It's not that it's harder to listen, but I have to adjust how the British say certain words. However, once I got use to Mison, he was the perfect choice to read the book.

However... seriously? That's it? After all the hype Sleepy Hollow gets, that's it? Most of the book is just describing Ichabod and his job in Sleepy Hollow... and I'm unsure whether it's satirical or not? Is Irving making fun of Ichabod or not? Is the rest of the town in on the joke that is Ichabod or not? Am I stupid or not?

It's completely underwhelming. Most of the story is about Ichabod trying to obtain the affections of Katrina Van Tassel, who is much more interested in Brom Bones, the Gaston-type character of the story. It ends with Ichabod meeting the headless horseman, after hearing so much about him throughout the story, and then mysteriously disappearing, leaving Brom Bones to marry Katrina.

Ichabod is never seen again, and though Brom Bones is definitely winking at the reader, the Dutch housewives are certain that the actual Headless Horseman found him, and now his ghost haunts Sleepy Hallow.

I guess it was good I just spent 50 cents on it and it was a good way to spend an hour or two while I worked. But... I daresay the adaptations are definitely better than the actual story.