SAMPLE: Film Science

Video Questions to Accompany: Sleepy Hollow

1. Is the use of scarecrows based on scientific fact or superstition?

2. a) Why did Crane experience resistance to an autopsy on the body pulled from the river?

b) What is ironic about the alleged burglar's treatment?

3. a) Summarize Crane's objections to the Burgomaster about police investigation methodology.

b) Is the Burgomaster sympathetic to his concerns?

4. The ledger Crane consults on the journey up to Sleepy Hollow reveals what about him as a scientist?

5. How does Crane's walk through the village echo the attitudes of some of his fellow officers?

6. What demeanor does Crane wish to project at the meeting with Baltus Van Tassel, Reverend Steenwyck

Doctor Lancaster, Notary Hardenbrooke and Magistrate Philpse?

7. During this meeting, Crane is told, "seeing is believing." Is this a scientific attitude?

8. a) Why does Reverend Steenwyck insist the Bible will be more useful to Crane than his "books and

trappings of scientific investigation"?

b) At this point, what is Crane's hypothesis about the murderer?

9. Why was Crane upset Jonathan Masbath's headless corpse had been moved?

10. What did Crane determine about the path of the Headless Horseman as he rode down Masbath?

11. Why did Crane use: a) the powder b) the magnifying glasses?

12. Why can we say the exhumations carried out at Crane's request were an empirical way of learning?

13. What do the surgical instruments used by Crane reveal about himself?

14. What did we learn about Crane's methodology just before he began the autopsy of Widow Winship?

15. What did Brom Van Brunt's burning pumpkin prank reveal about his understanding of the whole

situation in Sleepy Hollow?

16. Why did Katrina van Tassel gentle challenge about his being "so certain of everything" bother Crane?

17. Crane's memory flashbacks continue to reveal what about his hidden nature?

18. a) With Katrina at her family's cottage, how does Crane describe and demonstrate optics?

b) What does his optics demonstration say about truth and appearance?

19. Why was Crane so unhinged by seeing the Headless Horseman kill Magistrate Philipse?

20. Does the witch use science to help Crane understand the situation in Sleepy Hollow?

21. Crane's powers of scientific observation help him in what major way at the Tree of The Dead?

22. What does the midwife's son's light toy reveal about the prevalent beliefs in Sleepy Hollow?

23. a) Crane confides to Katrina that Sleepy Hollow has "controverted" his rational mind. Before coming to

the village, his scientific way of thinking had been based on a belief in what?

b) Later, at the cottage, as he sees her burn the new Van Garret will, why does he tell her he feels

impinioned by a chain of reasoning?

c) Again, why does Crane tell young Masbath he feels beaten down by reason?

24. On the ride out of the village, how do the spinning bird-in-cage and Katrina's spell book give Crane a

sudden new insight about the murders?

25. The light spectrum from the exploding windmill would have identified what material as the fuel?

26. What might the movie be saying about science and superstition?

27. Make an evidence chart to help determine who is worse, the Horseman or Lady Van Tassel.