From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| The House With Laughing Windows | |
|---|---|
|
Italian film poster |
|
| Directed by | Pupi Avati |
| Screenplay by |
|
| Story by |
|
| Produced by |
|
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Pasquale Rachini[1] |
| Edited by | Giusuppe Baghdighian[1] |
| Music by | Amedeo Tommassi[1] |
|
Production |
A.M.A. Film |
| Distributed by | Euro International Films |
|
Release date |
|
|
Running time |
110 minutes[1] |
| Country | Italy[1] |
| Box office | ₤722.135 million |
The House with Laughing Windows (Italian: La casa dalle finestre che ridono) is a 1976 Italian giallo-horror film co-written and directed by Pupi Avati. The film was shot in Lido degli Scacchi in the Ferrara province of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy.
Stefano (Lino Capolicchio) arrives in a village of the Valli di Comacchio area where he has been employed to restore a fresco depicting what appears to be the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian, which has been painted on a rotting wall of the local church by a mysterious, long-dead artist named Legnani. While temporarily taking up residence in the house that had been previously owned by the two sisters of the deceased painter, Stefano begins a romance with a new, beautiful schoolteacher, Francesca (Francesca Marciano), meanwhile learning from various townspeople that the painter had been a madman who had derived his art from real life. Specifically, Stefano learns that the artist – assisted by his two equally-insane sisters – had been a killer who brutally tortured people to death as inspiration for his horrific paintings – a practice that had likely been used for the very painting he is in process of restoring. As Stefano is discouraged for his task throughout the town, some of the villagers are brutally killed – including his employer – and he comes to suspect that their murderer is trying to deter him from discovering the full truth behind the artist and his ominous legacy within the sleepy community.
- Lino Capolicchio as Stefano
- Francesca Marciano as Francesca
- Gianni Cavina as Coppola
- Giulio Pizzirani as Antonio Mazza
- Vanna Busoni as Teacher
- Andrea Matteuzzi as Poppi
- Bob Tonelli as Solmi
- Pietro Brambilla as Lidio
- Ferdinando Orlandi as Marshall
- Ines Ciaschetti as Concierge
- Flavia Giorgi as Poppi’s Wife
- Eugene Walter as Priest
- Carla Astolfi as Chambermaid
- Tonino Corazzari as Buono Legnani
- Pina Borione as Laura Legnani
- John Marquette as Saint Sebastian in fresco (uncredited)
|
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (December 2014) |
The idea for The House With Laughing Windows came from a story director Pupi Avati had heard as a child involving the exhumation of a priest in the village of Sasso Marconi.[2] An early draft of the script was developed in the early 1970s under the title La luce dell’ultimo piano which was written by both Avati and Antonion Troisio.[3] It was produced by Antonio Cuomo who later backed out of the project.[3] Avati began working on the script again after the financial failure of his film House of Pleasure for Women and made several changes to the character and story.[3] The final story and screenplay was credited to Pupi Avati and Antonio Avati.[1]
The House with Laughing Windows was the first film produced by director Pupi Avati’s company A.M.A. Film.[1][4] The film was shot over five weeks between April and May 1976 in Comacchio and Minerbio, Ferrara, Italy.[1][4] Although the credits state Incir-De Paolis Studios in Rome, this was purely listed for bureaucratic reasons.[1][4][5]
The House with Laughing Windows was distributed theatrically in Italy by Euro International Films where on 16 August 1976.[1] On its domestic release, the film grossed a total of 722,135,201 Italian lire.[1]
The House with Laughing Windows was released on Region 1 DVD on 18 March 2003 through Paradox Entertainment.[6] On 5 January 2010 the film was released on Region 2 DVD through Metrodome.[7][8]
|
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (December 2014) |
The film has been received well by contemporary critics. AllMovie’s review of the film was favorable, giving it a rating of 3 out of 5, and writing that «[though] fans of typical Italian horror films may find House with the Windows That Laugh [sic] lacking in the stylistic excesses of many of its contemporary companion pieces, it exceeds its contemporaries in almost every other area,» and that it was «imbued with an overwhelming sense of dread that grows to an almost unbearable pitch.»[9]
On review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes, no score has yet been reached with only two critical ratings submitted.[10] The current ratings – both «fresh» — are from Emanuel Levy of emanuellevy.com, who gave the film a 3 out of 5, and Anton Bitel of Eye for Film, who gave the film a 4.5 out of 5, and wrote, «certainly a gripping giallo, but also an intelligent allegory of post-war Italy’s struggles to emerge from the Fascist outrages of its recent past.»[11]
Availability and legacy
[edit]
On 9 August 2011 Trailers From Hell! uploaded a video segment on the film to YouTube, in which Eli Roth discusses his feelings on its merits and the giallo genre, opining that it is «a great place to start [into giallo]» and «amongst the best» of the genre, ultimately comparing the film to the work of Dario Argento, Mario Bava, and Lucio Fulci — «the masters of the giallo.»[12]
It was screened as an outstanding example of its genre at the British Film Institute in November 2019.[13]
- List of Italian films of 1976
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Curti 2017, p. 157.
- ^ Curti 2017, p. 159.
- ^ a b c Curti 2017, p. 160.
- ^ a b c Curti 2017, p. 158.
- ^ Curti 2017, p. 162.
- ^ «The House with Laughing Windows in Movies & TV». Amazon.com. 11 March 2003. Retrieved 10 December 2012.
- ^ «House With Laughing Windows DVD». CD Universe. Retrieved 10 December 2012.
- ^ «The House With Laughing Windows (Region 2) (Import) (DVD)». Tower.com. Archived from the original on 5 February 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2012.
- ^ Buchanan, Jason. «House with Laughing Windows – Trailers, Reviews, Synopsis, Showtimes and Cast – AllMovie». AllMovie. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
- ^ «La Casa dalle finestre che ridono (The House of the Laughing Windows)». Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 10 December 2012.
- ^ Anton Bitel. «The House With Laughing Windows». Retrieved 10 December 2012.
- ^ «Eli Roth on THE HOUSE WITH THE LAUGHING WINDOWS». Trailers From Hell!. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
- ^ «Buy cinema tickets for The House with Laughing Windows | BFI Southbank». BFI site. Retrieved 29 November 2019.[dead link]
- Curti, Roberto (2017). Italian Gothic Horror Films, 1970–1979. McFarland. ISBN 978-1476629605.
- The House with Laughing Windows at IMDb
- La Casa dalle finestre che ridono (The House with Laughing Windows) at Rotten Tomatoes
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- 1976
- 1h 50m
Stefano, a young restorer, is commissioned to save a controversial mural located in the church of a small, isolated village.Stefano, a young restorer, is commissioned to save a controversial mural located in the church of a small, isolated village.Stefano, a young restorer, is commissioned to save a controversial mural located in the church of a small, isolated village.
- 76User reviews
- 81Critic reviews
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Right from the opening credits we know that we are in for something a bit different. An ensnared man is repeatedly stabbed by unknown assailants. The scene is shot in a series of close-ups in a fuzzy monochrome. Simultaneously, a male voice narrates weird musings about his ‘colours’ and how they run through his veins. It’s a standout opening that promises something a bit odd.
Directly after this, we are introduced to the central character, Stefano an art restorer, who is travelling by boat to a remote south Italian community. He is met at the quayside by the mayor Solmi, a midget who resembles a squashed John Saxon. The inhabitants of this community seem to be a bit strange. Stefano is taken to the local chapel where he is shown a recently discovered fresco that he has been tasked with restoring. It’s a disturbingly graphic depiction of the sacrifice of St. Sebastian, painted 40 or so years earlier by the mysterious local painter Legnani, known as the ‘painter of agony’ such was his predilection for capturing images of death. Stefano subsequently receives a number of anonymous threatening phone calls suggesting that he should abandon his work and leave. His friend, the local doctor, takes him aside and warns him that he has discovered something ominous about the community, centring on a ‘house with laughing windows’ but before he is able to elaborate further he is interrupted. His friend is murdered shortly afterwards in mysterious circumstances. Stefano is eventually driven away from the local hotel and winds up staying in a remote house with a retarded odd job boy from the chapel and a bed-ridden old woman. He also finds an old tape-recording that contains the very sinister narration from the opening credits. I won’t spoil the fun by revealing more.
The title and release date of this movie suggests that it will be a typical giallo. But this simply is not the case. Despite adopting some of the conventions of the genre – the mystery maniac and tragic back-story – this is not a body-count movie and there is no black-gloved assassin. The horror is more subtle but, crucially, a lot more frightening than the average giallo. This really is a scary movie. It fuses the aforementioned giallo elements with the weird rural community horror seen in films like The Wicker Man. Although the inhabitants are less weird here, the setting does have a similarly unsettling feel. It’s the menacing atmosphere of the film that really sets it apart from most. It’s the little details that make the difference, for example, the haunting tape-recording is particularly well used.
The photography is fine and really maximises the locations, which themselves are very well selected, the interior of the mysterious house where Stefano lodges is very effectively used. The music is particularly good, especially the brooding piano piece that accompanies the suspense scenes. The acting, too, is a notch above the average Italian horror. And the gore is kept to a minimum but, as a result, when it does show up it has a stronger effect. I would go so far as to say that this relatively unheralded film is one of the best Italian horror movies. It’s an essential DVD for any Euro horror collection.
- Red-Barracuda
- Jul 25, 2006
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The House With Laughing Windows / Дом Со Смеющимися Окнами (a.k.a. La Casa Dalle Finestre Che Ridono) (1976)
Творческий тандем братьев Авати (в котором Пупи — режиссер, а Антонио — продюсер) без устали работает уже больше тридцати лет и до сих пор является серьезной силой в итальянском кино. Начав работать совместно в начале семидесятых, братья знали как взлеты, так и падения, и после очередного такого падения — провала их крупнобюджетной музыкальной комедии «Борделла» (Bordella (1976)), Антонио Авати вспомнил про сценарий (уже лет шесть пылившийся в его комоде), который мог бы стать идеальным кандидатом для недорогой реализации. Пригласив в соавторы для правки сценария двух своих обычных «подельников» — Джианни Кавина и Маурицио Констанцо (Gianni Cavina, Maurizio Costanzo), — братья Авати довольно быстро довели свою первоначальную идею «до ума» и летом 1976-го года приступили к съемкам в небольшой итальянской деревушке. По сути дела, это был чуть ли не «семейный» проект, потому что от начала и до конца над фильмом работало всего 12 человек (в то время как команда любого проекта «средней руки» начиналась человек с
пятидесяти…), которые исполняли во время съемок кучу обязанностей (к примеру, Антонио Авати помимо продюсирования помогал также костюмеру, специалисту по спецэффектам и «по мелочи» появлялся в кадре, изображая проходящие тени :)). На главные роли в картине братья пригласили своих хороших друзей-актеров, которые также были не прочь провести часть лета в итальянской деревушке, с удовольствием снимаясь в недорогой, но интересной продукции. Такой семейный подход, надо сказать, себя полностью оправдал, ибо в результате получилось очень добротное и интересное кино, сделавшее к тому же неплохие деньги в прокате.
Молодой специалист по реставрации фресок, Стефано, по приглашению местного мэра приезжает в одну из итальянских деревень, где в небольшой церкви ему предстоит восстановить фреску сумасшедшего местного художника, изображающую страдания Святого Себастьяна. Поразившись натуралистичности живописания смертельных страданий святого, Стефано ознакомился и с другими работами местной знаменитости, на которых он не нашел ничего, кроме страданий и смерти. Деревенские жители, прознавшие про его работу, вели себя с ним замкнуто, а вскоре Стефано стал получать телефонные звонки, в которых зловещий сиплый голос советовал ему не трогать фреску и убираться из деревни. Было очевидно, что местные жители скрывают некую страшную тайну, относящуюся к личности художника и его работам, и правда оказалась шокирующей почище любого кошмара — свои шедевры страданий и смерти художник писал с натуры…
Довольно минималистичными изобразительными средствами Пупи Авати удалось достичь эффектной атмосферы некой жуткой тайны, которую вынуждены носить в себе все без исключения жители деревни, и неясной угрозы, постоянно преследующей Стефано. Многие эпизоды этого фильма идеально эксплуатируют универсальные человеческие страхи, как-то: боязнь темных пустых помещений старого дома, страх встретиться лицом к лицу с давно умершим художником (никто не видел момента его смерти — может, он жив и до сих пор?), жуткая тайна, разгадка которой может стоить человеку жизни и прочее. В лучших традициях самобытных итальянских триллеров, по ходу действия этого фильма зрителю подкладывают немало сюжетных сюрпризов, а концовка и вообще поразит многих, даже «видавших виды» поклонников джиалло, так что несмотря на довольно неторопливое развитие событий, зрительский интерес к картине не ослабевает,
постоянно подогреваемый интересными сценарными ходами. Помимо грамотной режиссуры Авати, который с блеском показал свои способности к нагнетанию таинственной атмосферы и саспенса, в фильме присутствует очень грустная, красивая музыка и прекрасная игра актеров. Особенно это касается исполнителя роли Стефано, Лино Каполиччо, который «в шкуре» своего персонажа выглядит очень убедительно, хотя не подкачали и актеры второго плана, лучшим из которых я бы назвал Джанни Кавина, исполнителя роли Копполы, деревенского пьянчужки «себе на уме».
Как уже отмечалось выше, лента сделала в прокате весьма приличную кассу, причем не за счет массированной маркетинговой кампании, а благодаря людским рекомендациям, когда посмотревшие картину активно советовали сходить на фильм своим друзьям и
знакомым. Уже тогда «Дом Со Смеющимися Окнами» приобрел некое подобие культа, который с годами лишь усиливался благодаря редким показам по ТВ и видеобутлегам. На сегодняшний день можно смело констатировать тот факт, что эта лента, не особенно известная за пределами Европы (ибо в Штатах до марта 2003-го года не было ни одного официального издания фильма!), является одной из жемчужин среди культовых итальянских джиалло середины семидесятых, ибо фильм практически не имеет недостатков и еще бы чуть-чуть — и его можно было бы назвать шедевром. Шедевр — скорее нет; но то, что это настоящий культ — вне всяких сомнений, поэтому у поклонников такого рода кино эта лента должна красоваться на полке обязательно. Что же касается более широкой аудитории, то и ей было бы неплохо ознакомиться с одним из лучших представителей жанрового итальянского кинематографа середины семидесятых…
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owners.
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
Rated: 3/5
Oct 1, 2005
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Robson C
Stefano é um pintor que é contratado para restaurar uma pintura em uma igreja de uma pequena cidade cujo o autor era fascinado por tentar captar os últimos momentos de vida em um quadro. Logo, ele descobre que há muito mais mistério envolvendo o local. Atmosfera e tensão estão presentes em todos os momentos do filme. Os habitantes da cidade vivem contradizendo um ao outro. Há um terror visível em todos, além dos trotes que o pintor recebe e as tentativas de atrapalhar p seu trabalho. O filme reflete bem o estilo de terror praticado na época, no caso os anos 70. Há personagens característicos do período. Porém, o final acaba destoando de tudo o que estava sendo preparado. Foi como um banho de água fria, mesmo tendo um plot twist no final. Para mim, não ficou claro o porquê do terror que havia em todos. Não vou especular mais porque acabaria por entregar spoilers que estragariam a surpresa de outras pessoas e, talvez, até gostassem do filme.
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
02/13/25
Full Review
Audience Member
Pupi Avati makes two types of films: melancholic comedies about the utterly normal lives of utterly normal people from Emilia (la cena di natale, etc) and utterly terrifying horror films also set up in absolutely normal circumstances where absolutely normal people find themselves in really scary situations — think Profondo Rosso meets Polansky’s The Tenant. When watching this film late at night on TV the lights went out and none of us would dare switching them on again.
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/18/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Pupi Avati made Zeder, the zombie movie that really isn’t a zombie movie, so I was excited to see his take on the giallo, basing it on a story he heard about a priest being exhumed in his childhood.
The Valli di Comacchio area has a fresco on the rotting wall of a church that may be the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian. Painted years ago by the long-dead and always mysterious Legnani, it is being restored by Stefano, who is also living in the home of the painter’s sisters. Those very same sisters — according to town legend — assisted their brother in torturing and killing people so that he would have inspiration for his artwork.
No one wants Stefano to fix this painting. People start dying and the secret behind the murders may be in the very painting that our lead is fixing.
I love when the giallo moves out of Rome and into the small cities, such as Fulci’s masterful Don’t Torture a Duckling and Antonio Bido’s The Blood Stained Shadow. Why should the metro locales have all the deep, dark secrets and horrific murders, right?
Don’t go in expecting sleaze and gore. Do expect to be surprised and delighted by the world and mood that this movie creates. This one needs to be unearthed and celebrated by way more than know it now.
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/06/23
Full Review
Audience Member
That odd, sepia start; the screaming man, the music, the slow, lingering camera’s gaze. A young man hired to touch up a fresco makes disturbing discoveries about the artist. The opening, naturalistic style seems a contrast until the tone changes with that first, plunging, death. The phonecalls, the build up of music in that bleached town, that recorded voice, the snails, the old woman — but there’s a sense that the subtext made it very much of its time.
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
01/26/23
Full Review
Audience Member
A young man who can restore frescos (ancient works of art) arrives to restore one such artwork but finds events within the remote town to be far from normal. Indeed, they are downright bizarre. Does the fresco hold any clues? Does it depict what people have been led to believe it shows? Will the events directly affect Stefano?
This Italian film is one hell of a gorgeous (and VERY disturbing) journey. Not only do we get the backstory of the artist who first painted the fresco but also the freaky events that are happening in the Valli di Commacchio area that the action takes place in.
With all the best of Italian horror/gialli, it also makes you want to go to Italy and experience such a seemingly fantastic and aesthetically pleasing way of life. The photography is magnificent. I’d love to see this film on the big screen.
The locales are sumptuous, the characters are left field to the max (at times I kept think of the films of Jodorowsky) which all adds to the overall vision and atmosphere of this gorgeous film.
I’d love to speak about the conclusion of the film but that would massively spoil the entire film for those of you who haven’t been lucky enough to see it yet. Also, if I tried to write down what happens you probably wouldn’t believe me. Just to say- it’s surreal, can’t be predicted and gets under your skin and inside your head and remains there long after the actual film has ended. Fantastic.
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
02/19/23
Full Review
Matteo P
I’ve never laughed so much … even if the kind of film should be another ..
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
09/06/19
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The House with Laughing Windows (1976)
The House with Laughing Windows (1976)
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Synopsis
A young restorer’s life turns into a nightmare when he fixes a painting.
- Director
-
Pupi Avati
- Producer
-
Antonio Avati,
Gianni Minervini
- Screenwriter
-
Antonio Avati,
Pupi Avati,
Gianni Cavina,
Maurizio Costanzo
- Genre
-
Horror,
Mystery & Thriller,
Drama
- Original Language
-
Italian
- Runtime
-
1h 50m