In the early United States of America, young policeman Ichabod Crane is sent to from New York to the fledgling settlement of Sleepy Hollow to investigate a series of ghoulish murders. On his arrival, the town council informs him that the three victims were killed in open ground, and the heads had disappeared - taken by a headless ghost that is supposedly responsible. Ichabod is unconvinced of this, but learns more about the ghostly horseman - it is the ghost of a Hessian sent by the British during the revolutionary war, and he was caught by redcoats and decapitated with his own sword. When Ichabod sees the ghost kill one of the town council members, his skepticism evaporates - and he soon discovers that the horseman's ghost has an unholy connection to Balthus Van Tassel, a wealthy farmer - and whose daughter Ichabod is falling in love with...

Johnny Depp reportedly based his portrayal of Ichabod Crane on Withnail, from Withnail & I (1987), as played by Richard E. Grant.

Ichabod Crane:
Villainy wears many masks, none of which so dangerous as virtue...

Factual errors: When Ichabod is in the carriage and about to leave town he is playing with the cardinal/cage optical illusion toy. When the camera faces him the image of the cardinal and cage are right side up, but when shown from Ichabod's view they still appear right side up - one of these two shots should show the images upside down.

Performed and arranged by Hesperos
Courtesy of Maggie's Music, Inc.