Customer Reviews

The House with Laughing Windows

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

THE HOUSE WITH LAUGHING WINDOWS (1976): Stefano (Lino Capolicchio), an art specialist, is hired by members of a rural Italian village to perform restoration work on a disturbingly violent fresco of Saint Sebastian painted on a decaying church wall. He meets and falls in love with a beautiful teacher, Francesca (Francesca Marciano), while staying for free in a house once owned by the sisters of the long dead artist. Stefano gradually learns that the painter and his sisters were monstrously depraved sadists who bloodily tortured people to death as inspiration for his horrific art. Various murders ensue and Stefano realizes that the killer is attempting to stop him from learning more of the village's secrets.

This shocker may be filled with lunatics, violent killings and an undeniably horrific climax, but it is filmed without any of the sleazy exploitation one might expect from the above synopsis. Pupi Avati directs the gruesome proceedings with masterful precision, utilizing a careful, leisurely pace in order to slowly build up a truly palpable sense of malice. While not failing to resort to some tried and true suspense techniques throughout, Avati finds it equally important to linger with moody, loving attention on the exceedingly desolate landscape surroundings and claustrophobic interiors. Cinematographer Pasquale Rachini's beautiful imagery creates a sure sense of place and atmosphere and helps make Stefano's growing feelings of isolation and dread all too real.

Lino Capolicchio plays Stefano with seriousness and intelligence, and his excellent performance is greatly responsible for the film's overall success; its impossible not to care about what happens to him in the film's disturbing, ambiguous finale. Francesca Marciano is equally fine as Stefano's love interest; their relationship is presented in a fairly realistic manner, and although inserting a romance into the storyline is more than a tad formulaic, Marciano is so charming and beautiful its certainly easy to see why Stefano falls for her so quickly.

Director Avati may have developed a solid international reputation as a serious auteur with a lengthy filmography full of critically acclaimed "arthouse" character studies like THE STORY OF BOYS AND GIRLS, but in the U.S. his reputation rests mostly on two cult horror films, ZEDER and THE HOUSE WITH LAUGHING WINDOWS. ZEDER has long been the most visible of the two, having managed a domestic release on videotape in the 1980's with the more exploitable title of REVENGE OF THE DEAD, as well as a (disappointing) DVD release in 2000 under its proper title. HOUSE, on the other hand, has languished in relative obscurity since its 1976 release in Italy, despite critical raves across the board, including from such estimable sources as Phil Hardy's THE OVERLOOK FILM ENCYCLOPEDIA: HORROR and VIDEO WATCHDOG magazine.

Now, finally, HOUSE has received a much deserved DVD release as part of Image Entertainment's Euroshock Collection. Thankfully, the print used is in stunningly pristine shape; the movie literally looks brand-new. The film's beautiful visuals are presented in their original aspect ratio, letterboxed at 1.85:1 (although the DVD's box claims 1.78:1). The Italian language soundtrack has optional English subtitles. Extras include a still/lobby card gallery, a surprisingly boring trailer and, most impressively, a short (subtitled) Italian language retrospective/documentary featuring a fascinating interview with Avati who obviously feels great love for this gem of a horror film. And so will you.

I put this on at two in the morning after work one night and sat through it (and the subtitles) with nary a yawn... and was quite creeped out by the end credits. It has everything that makes a great giallo- intriguing camera shots, a plot that ravels itself back together in the last few minutes, picaresque locations populated by physically and emotionally twisted subcharacters (and I thought America had cornered the market on twisted rednecks- Get a load of the altar boy!). An artist on a restoration project begins recieving death threats and investigates further after a friend gets pushed from his window, leading to a reel tape of the artist (not a spoiler- it's in the opening credits) describing his flesh tortured in conjunction with his art (how pomo). Kudos to Image for releasing this film undubbed because you'd miss out on the eerie flavor of the phone calls and that reel tape - probably the creepiest tape used in a film after the opening credits of "Klute". On a technical note, remember to click in the subtitles option before viewing the film, and don't watch the making of until after the movie - it has spoilers. You may need to watch it after anyway, just to have a better transition to shutting off the t.v. in a dark house! So, overall, one of the more plot oriented giallos that still can carry itself into suspension of disbelief, and with very little lost relevancy.

This is an original Italian piece. The story develops in a giallo format, but ends in a more gothic style. By the way, the end is a bit disappointing though. The movie is nicely shot on some Italian coutry location, the wideangle use of the camera is very well achieved. The digital transfer is very good, with vivid colors and a nice defintion. It comes with its original Italian sound and English subtitles. Overall, and considering the its price, an interesting title that mixes a giallo style story with some gothic touches, including the ending. Note, however, that this is not for those expecting lots of nudity and blood.

Before I review the actual film, allow me to say that Image did an excellent job of restoring "The House With Laughing Windows" or else they found an excellent print. For having been originally released in 1976, the audio and video are superb. Speaking of audio, it is presented only in Italian with English subtitles. Perhaps it was never dubbed in English, having never been released in America. (However, one would think that it would have been dubbed in English for release in Britain.) The film, as well as the trailer, is presented in widescreen with its original theatrical aspect of 1.85:1. The trailer does not have English subtitles. Other special features include an interesting documentary on the making of the film (which now has a cult following), a lobby card gallery, and filmographies of the director and lead actor.

Directed by Pupi Avati (who co-wrote the screenplay for Lamberto Bava's "Macabre," a.k.a., "Macabro"), "The House with Laughing Windows" is one of the most bizarre Italian gialli I have ever seen. It has satanic elements and ranks up there with Aldo Lado's "Short Night of the Glass Dolls" and Sergio Martino's "All the Colors of the Dark," both of which are equally strange; however, "The House with Laughing Windows" is superior.

Stefano (Lino Capolicchio of Antonio Bido's "The Blood Stained Shadow") is hired to restore a church fresco which depicts the brutal stabbing death of St. Sebastain. He soon learns that the inhabitants of this small island town are a strange lot. The friend who recommended him for the job falls from Stefano's hotel room window. Though Stefano insists it was murder, the police rule it a suicide. Stefano begins investigating the fresco's dead painter Legnani who was known as the Painter of Agony. His perverse artwork depicted people in pain and suffering and it was rumored that he painted from real life. As Stefano unravels the secrets of the painting, more of his friends and associates begin to die.

"The House with Laughing Windows" is a creepy, atmospheric gothic horror/giallo. There are crumbling buildings, swamps, and canals enshrouded in fog; demented characters; disappearing corpses; and a secret burial site. Like many Italian gialli, the ending is strange, twisted, and perverse; it is rather shocking and unexpected. Stefano reminds me of Rosemary Woodhouse in "Rosemary's Baby." He too learns that you can't trust those around you.

"The House with Laughing Windows" is highly recommended for those who enjoy Italian gialli or European horror. I didn't find anything laughable about it. It would have been more appropriately titled "The House With Screaming Windows." Its victims certainly screamed a lot before dying.

If you like Italian gialli, I recommend "Deep Red," "The Bird with the Crystal Plumage," "Tenebre," "The Red Queen Kills Seven Times," "A Lizard in a Woman's Skin," "Murder Walks on High Heels," "Torso," "The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh," "What Have You Done to Solange?" and "Blood and Black Lace." I'm addicted to Italian gialli. I've seen over sixty.

A very interesting plot and some good casting (alter boy especially). A unique plot and good camera-work make this Giallo one to see for sure.

A small Italian village is haunted by memories of a local artist whose fresco depicting the martyrdom of St. Sebastian reflects his morbid obsession with death and violence. The villagers whisper uneasily that the artist tortured and murdered his models, depositing their bodies in shallow graves in the surrounding countryside. Pupi Avati's 1976 shocker, "The House With Laughing Windows", begins when a young art restorationist, Stefano, arrives at the village church to restore the St. Sebastien fresco. It quickly becomes apparent that someone doesn't want him to finish the job. Following the apparent "suicide" of the friend who recommended him for the project, Stefano starts receiving creepy phone calls. The schoolteacher, with whom he has a casual relationship, suddenly relinquishes her position only to be immediately replaced by a slightly younger, but very similar, woman; that she winds up taking a similar, but more important, position in Stefano's afffections seems coincidental. Or is it? As Stefano discovers, nothing is what it seems in this town, and the consequences of taking things at face value, and trusting the wrong person can have terrifying consequences.

Lino Capolicchio, looking a little like a young Rob Reiner (and probably better known for his turn in "The Garden of the Finzi Continis"), is very effective as the film's hero, an adventurous young man dedicated to completing the restoration project, even as it appears that it may endanger his life. Stefano is a well-rounded, believable character who becomes more volatile as the situation around him unravels. Francesca Marciano is stunning as his love interest, and adds a layer of poignancy to a character who may--or may not--be too good to be true. The rest of the cast is first rate, all turning in good performances guaranteed to chill you to the bone.

Not a giallo in the true sense of the word, "The House With Laughing Windows" builds such a woozy sense of dread that, by the time the unexpected denouement occurs, you're bursting with anticipation. That denouement is so outrageous, so bug-eyed crazy, that you might think about laughing, but it's actually a pretty good ending, one that plays fair if you've been paying attention, and one that will stay with you.

I'm a big fan of Italian horror/giallo flicks and this one was low on my to-see list. I generally like the standard murder mystery giallo (a killer in black gloves, etc). THE HOUSE WITH LAUGHING WINDOWS seemed to be more psychological so I waited for a while to get this one. I'm sorry I waited.

Even the opening credits are creepy as hell. This flick is atmospheric, creepy, mysterious, and intriguing. I know those sound like generic adjectives but... all I can say is that if you enjoy Italian horror, you won't be disappointed. This takes place in rural Italy so you can some nice looking scenery as well.

Right now this seems to be out of print so grab a used copy while you still can!!

The House with the Laughing Windows (Pupi Avati, 1976)

The opening sequence of La Casa Dalle Finestre che Ridono, Pupi Avati's fifth film and the one that made him a star, does not prepare you for the film that follows it. It's a series of impressionist close-ups of a man being tortures, Inquisition-style, with a rambling, confession-sounding voice-over track. One would be forgiven for expecting that one is going to get a gore-drenched horror film like those Argento was starting to make at the time, rather than the kind of giallo Argento had been making up till then. That is, however, exactly what we get, and while there are some supernatural elements to the film, they tend to be low-key and stay in the background most of the time; this is a straight mystery about a mysterious disappearance, the attempt to keep that disappearance mysterious, and art history. (You'd be surprised at how many gialli have art history wandering around in them somewhere. I have.)

Stefano (Lino Cappolichio, who when not starring in half the gialli made in the seventies, was busy making little obscure flicks like The Garden of the Finzi-Continis with de Sica) is a young, enthusiastic art restorer who is hired to clean up a mural in a rural church. Upon his first inspection, he's not overly impressed with it, but then he starts looking closer. It's a Bruno Legnani! Not only that, it's a huge Bruno Legnani, and it has as its subject matter the torture of Saint Sebastian! Ah, now all the sudden the opening sequence comes clear... Legnani is imagining as he paints, and the rambling stuff about colors is his voice. Except there seems to be more to it than that. Legnani, while a famous artist, is one about whom very little is known. He was local to Palermo, though, and in fact Stefano is staying at the house of his spinster sisters, both of whom seem slightly mad. The more Stefano pokes around trying to find out about the mural--the last work Legnani did before disappearing--the more he hears about Legnani being somewhat cracked. When he starts hearing stories about how the man preferred painting from life, Stefano starts to wonder a lot more about the mural he's restoring...

If you've seen Avati's films before (and if you haven't, do so at your earliest convenience; he's one of the most consistent, if unheralded, Italian directors working today), you'll have an idea of what's coming; this is low-key stuff, in general, though this film is quite a bit splashier than most of the Avati movies I've seen. Because of that, it tends to feel more like a typical giallo and less like an Avati film, but there's no denying it's an effective giallo; the mystery angle is solid, if the resolution stretches credibility, and it's perfectly shot to keep the viewer just a little off-kilter for most of the movie. Solid, if not exceptional, work from an Italian master. ***

The patrons of a small Italian church hire a talented artist to restore a fresco of their patron saint, but in doing so he also uncovers many of the town's dark secrets behind its creation. Pupi Avati's THE HOUSE WITH LAUGHING WINDOWS is a stylish and tasteful thriller that breaks away from the standard conventions of the Italian Giallo, relying on the suspense and mystery of the intricately designed plot over the shocking gore and violent murders that frequented similar films in the genre. It also avoids the often contrived and convoluted story elements found in many weaker Gialli of the time. Lino Capolicchio is very convincing as the apprehensive lead that is drawn closer to the truth as more of the villagers are found murdered. The twisted religious subtext adds an additional level of fright to the picture that plays on the small town convictions of an isolated community. What sets the film apart more than anything else are the beautifully photographed authentic Northern Italian locales that set a dreary and atmospheric backdrop to the slowly unraveling plot. THE HOUSE WITH THE LAUGHING WINDOWS is one of the stronger entries in the strictly-Italian sub-genre that has been commonly overlooked by Giallo fans.

-Carl Manes
I Like Horror Movies

This movie is a great movie.
the acting is great and the story is well done.
I won't go into details as there are alot of other reviews that do that.
In fact those reviews convinced me to buy this as I knew it was more of a
moody horror movie than a standard giallo. It's both for sure and this movie really excells at creating a realistic and gothic feeling of doom. The town is fading away , the people are complacent and they have allowed a great evil to pollute their lives for decades. Like the people who live in nieghorhoods with trash laying all around the stink of moral rot is prevelant. The music too sets the stage and is a great part of why the mood is so oppressive, this movie is for those who want a thinking person's horror movie or giallo that doesn't feature close up gory killings and a super fast pace that ruins so many modern movies. They have there place but they can't feature the type of intense story driven horror that is apparent here. The print is fantastic , whenever I buy a image released dvd flick I always hope they did a good job with the print and too often it looks like crap; but this time they did it right. This is remastered and brilliant. This is what they need to do with every movie from now on. If you like somber deep mysteries that give you a payoff at the end of the movie and don't expect a happy ending like the ones that are frequently tacked on to hollywood movies when they shouldn't be there, then you will enjoy this gothic cult classic.
And many film critics since 1976 have given this movie high marks not just we horror fans who have our own system of rating the genre.