Headless Horseman (film)

*Headless Horseman*
Headless Horseman
Genre	Horror
Based on	Headless Horseman; The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Screenplay by	Zachary Weintraub; Anthony C. Ferrante;
Story by	Ken Badish; Zachary Weintraub;
Directed by	Anthony C. Ferrante
Starring	Billy Aaron Brown; Rebecca Mozo; Arianne Fraser; M. Steven Felty; Trish Coren; Elizabeth Prestel; Brent Lydic; Joe Hartzler; Richard Moll;
Music by	Alan Howarth
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Executive producers	Thomas P. Vitale; Ken Badish; Paul Laurens;
Cinematography	David Worth
Editor	Christopher Roth
Running time	92 minutes
Production companies	Nu Image; Active Entertainment;
Original release
Network	Sci Fi Channel
Release	October 20, 2007

Headless Horseman is a 2007 American horror television film that aired on the Sci Fi Channel on October 27, 2007, based on the legend of the Headless Horseman. It stars Richard Moll and Billy Aaron Brown and is directed by Anthony C. Ferrante.

Plot

All Hallow’s Eve, 1862: Two Confederate soldiers, the last of their company, are being hunted in the woods outside Wormwood Ridge. They attempt to defend themselves as the Headless Horseman emerges from the woods and decapitates them.

Halloween, Present Day: Seven teenage friends; Seth, his girlfriend Tiffany, Lizzie, her boyfriend Doc, Nash, Ava, and Liam are driving through eastern Kansas ^[2] to a party when they stop for gas and directions. Seth finds a “shortcut” through some backroads, but drives over an open bear trap, which destroys the car’s wheel. A young, female tow truck driver named Candy “happens upon” them and takes them to Wormwood Ridge, a town so small it does not appear on the map.

Candy drops their van off at her father, “Pa” Rusk’s garage/junkyard to be repaired and gives the others a tour of the town, which is preparing for the Headless Horseman Celebration, an annual event held every Halloween in Wormwood Ridge since 1806, the year the Horseman began stalking the area for heads according to legend. Seth and Ava go check on the van and discover it missing. Seth searches the junkyard for Pa Rusk when a headless figure emerges, decapitates him, and leaves with his severed head. When Seth does not return, Ava searches the junkyard and finds his body, then alerts the others. Candy reveals the history of “Headless”, or Calvin Montgomery, a 19th-century serial killer who preyed on the children of Wormwood until the residents finally caught and hanged him in the town square, leaving him to rot until his body tore away from his head. Since then, Montgomery’s spirit rises every 7 years on Halloween to collect 7 youths’ heads. Candy warns them that they must leave before Headless returns to claim his next head.

The group attempts an escape into the forest on foot but a supernatural mist envelops them and Headless appears on horseback, scattering the group. In the confusion, Tiffany is decapitated and Headless collects her head, then disappears. The others hear church bells nearby and realize they are walking in circles, now back at Wormwood. The group splits up: Liam and Lizzie search for a working vehicle and Nash, Doc, and Ava search the town for weapons. The trio steals several guns from Kolchak Stillwall’s general store, but Headless appears and decapitates Doc, stealing his head. As Lizzie and Liam are searching the garage, they are attacked by Pa Rusk but Liam overpowers him. The four reunite at Kolchak’s but soon split again, with Lizzie and Nash work to get a car working while Ava and Liam search the town’s library for clues as to how to defeat Headless. Nash fixes a car and the four escape the town and are about to cross the bridge over the river when Headless appears and decapitates Nash, causing the car to crash. Pa Rusk shows up and forces Liam, Ava, and Lizzie back into town at gunpoint, where he ties them up for Headless.

When Pa Rusk leaves, Candy unties the remaining three, revealing she is not originally from the town and wishes to escape with the others. She tells them that if Headless does not get his 7 heads, he and all of Wormwood will cease to exist entirely. Liam is able to call 911 and a patrol car is sent out to search the area but the inhabitants of Wormwood kill the officer as Headless appears and decapitates Lizzie. Candy steals Pa Rusk’s tow truck, running him down with it in the process. Liam and Ava lure Headless to the bridge out of town in an effort to destroy him because he cannot cross running water. Candy drives up in the tow truck and using the tow’s cable, Ava and Liam hook Headless then pull him onto the bridge where he simultaneously bursts into flames and melts, causing the bridge to catch fire. Wormwood, the buildings and all the people turn to dust and blow away leaving only Candy, Liam, and Ava alive as the bridge to Wormwood burns.

Cast

Main

Billy Aaron Brown as Liam
Rebecca Mozo as Ava
Elvin Dandel as Seth
Trish Coren as Lizzie
Brent Lydic as Nash
Joe Hartzler as Doc
Arianne Fraser as Tiffany
Elizabeth Prestel as Candy
M. Steven Felty as Pa Rusk / Sgt. Mosby Rusk
Richard Moll as Kolchak Jefferson Stillwall
Vasile Albinet as Headless / Calvin Montgomery

Supporting

Richard Caluda as Johnny Rusk
Greg Atkins as Sheriff Steve Buck
Dan Mason as Sheriff Otis
Alin Contantinescu as David
Catherine Felty as Dispatcher
Pavlic Nemes as Walking Man
Nicolae Badila as Rag Doll man
Tudor Stroiescu as Johnny's Gang
Stelian Strepici as Johnny's Gang
Ana Maria Arsenic as Johnny's Gang

Wormwood Townfolk

Elena Barabovschi
Gabriel Carbunaru
Iuliana Catalinoiu
Augustina Cojocaru
Francisc Deac
Ionita Gabriel
Ana Predniceanu
Vasile Rachieru
Emanuel Stefancu
Enache Tudorita
Loredana Vilcan

Production

Filming took place in Romania in association with Castel Film Romania.^[3]

Release

Headless Horseman premiered at the 2007 Screamfest Horror Film Festival on October 20, 2007^[4] It also screened at the Pioneer Theater in New York City on October 22, 2007 before seeing a North American premier on the Sci Fi Channel as a Saturday night original movie on October 27, 2007.^[5] It was released on DVD by First Look Studios in 2008.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b Ken Badish; Paul Laurens; Zachary Weintraub; Anthony C Ferrante; Billy Aaron Brown (2008). Headless Horseman (DVD) (Motion Picture). Century City, CA: First Look Studios. ISBN 9781592417988. OCLC 219743297. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
^ Approx. 12m56s
^ Ferrante, Anthony C. (October 28, 2007). "Filmmaker scares up whole lot of fun". East Bay Times (Interview). Interviewed by Jennifer Modenessi. Walnut Creek, California: Bay Area News Group. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
^ "Screamfest 2007 Headless Horseman". ScreamfestLA.com. Screamfest® Horror Film Festival. 2018. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
^ "EXCL: Headless Horseman Featurette!". ComingSoon.net. Evolve Media LLC. October 19, 2007. Retrieved September 10, 2020.

External links

[HHDVD-1] Ken Badish; Paul Laurens; Zachary Weintraub; Anthony C Ferrante; Billy Aaron Brown (2008). Headless Horseman (DVD) (Motion Picture). Century City, CA: First Look Studios. ISBN 9781592417988. OCLC 219743297. Retrieved September 9, 2020.

[2] Approx. 12m56s

[EBTinterview-3] Ferrante, Anthony C. (October 28, 2007). "Filmmaker scares up whole lot of fun". East Bay Times (Interview). Interviewed by Jennifer Modenessi. Walnut Creek, California: Bay Area News Group. Retrieved September 11, 2020.

[Screamfest-4] "Screamfest 2007 Headless Horseman". ScreamfestLA.com. Screamfest® Horror Film Festival. 2018. Retrieved September 10, 2020.

[ComingSoonPremiere-5] "EXCL: Headless Horseman Featurette!". ComingSoon.net. Evolve Media LLC. October 19, 2007. Retrieved September 10, 2020.

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