La Casa dalle finestre che ridono (The House of the Laughing Windows) poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Lino Capolicchio, Francesca Marciano, Gianni Cavina, Giulio Pizzirani, Andrea Matteuzzi ... see more see more... , Bob Tonelli , Pietro Brambilla , Vanna Busoni

Though fans of typical Italian horror films may find House With the Windows That Laugh lacking in the stylistic excesses of many of its contemporary companion pieces, it exceeds its contemporaries in ... read more read more...almost every other area. Imbued with an overwhelming sense of dread that grows to an almost unbearable pitch, director Pupi Avati sets the deliberate pace of the film in contrast with the sense of solemn oppression that never ceases from the first to the last frame of the film. As the painter hired to restore a fresco in the church of a small Italian town learns more of the sordid legacy of its original artist, the calm pacing of the film reveals each twisted secret at impeccably timed intervals, never revealing details too soon, and often leaving the viewer hanging just long enough to build the appropriate anticipation needed for each revelation to have an acute and horrifying impact. Characters seem to be literally swallowed in the sea of darkness surrounding the mythology of the deranged painter of the original fresco and his mysterious sisters. With the soul of the main character at stake as he begins to feel possessed by the same disturbing compulsions that propelled the original artist into madness, the question as to if he will solve the mystery in time, or become another sacrifice in the black legacy, is a testament to Avati's masterful ability to manipulate the expectations and emotions of his audience, only to shatter whatever preconceptions they may have in the film's shocking climax. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Flixster Users

75% liked it

681 ratings

R, 1 hr. 50 min.

Directed by: Pupi Avati

Release Date: January 1, 1976

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: March 11, 2003

Stats: 79 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

Francesca Marciano Gianni Cavina Lino Capolicchio Lino Capolicchio and Andrea Matteuzzi 'La casa dalle finestre che ridono' Lino Capolicchio and Gianni Cavina 'La casa dalle finestre che ridono' "I miei colori...i miei colori"" 'La casa dalle finestre che ridono' 'La casa dalle finestre che ridono' 'La casa dalle finestre che ridono' - Poster 'La casa dalle finestre che ridono' Lino Capolicchio Pietro Brambilla and Francesca Marciano Francesca Marciano 'La casa dalle finestre che ridono' (Pupi Avati, 1976) 'La casa dalle finestre che ridono' (Pupi Avati, 1976) 'La casa dalle finestre che ridono' (Pupi Avati, 1976)
Upload a Photo | View All La Casa dalle finestre che ridono (The House of the Laughing Windows) Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (79)

  • FilmFanatik
    August 22, 2011
    FilmFanatik
    I don't think I'll throw my hat in the ring and claim this to be one of the top ten giallos of all time. Far from it actually. I found this one to be utterly confusing with so much poor plotting and a ridiculous amount of red herrings that I was left a bit dumbfounded at the end.... read more With a little bit of thought, I understood everything, but it still left so many questions unanswered. The atmospherics and the build are reasonably good, but the plot is a bit lost. So many twists and turns aren't always necessary, in my opinion. It has some merit, perhaps more than its worth, but I wouldn't recommend it for most horror fans. They might be overly befuddled.
  • vierasesine
    June 1, 2010
    vierasesine
    Suspenseful and intriguing. Certainly not your typical giallo.
  • RCCLBC
    February 11, 2010
    RCCLBC
    Nicely shot...well acted...great loactions...interesting story.
    But it suffered greatly from very poor editing, which made the story feel disjointed and slightly confusing at times.
  • harrycaul
    May 26, 2008
    harrycaul
    "The House with Laughing Windows" is a relentlessly depressing and, I found, a deeply disappointing 'giallo'. It deserves praise for avoiding those superfluous, atmosphere-sapping attempts at comedy that mar even the best examples of the genre - Dario Argento's "Deep Red" include... read mored - but, in all honesty, the plotting is as audaciously daft as ever. Fatally, the central mystery is not as absorbing as it should be, and the film is neither stylishly directed nor especially technically competent. It also contains a couple of the most risible love scenes I think I've ever seen. The atmosphere is unusually oppressive but, rather irritatingly, it's largely achieved via faintly sinister members of the supporting cast, who constantly drift in and out but never stick around long enough to be characterised. The glut of unanswered questions, and the unfair way in which the killer's identity is concealed - a common fault of gialli - are also annoying. We see little of the murders, probably for the very good reason that, retrospectively, it's impossible to imagine the victims being overpowered in the first place. The movie is mostly just Lino Capolicchio, walking around looking puzzled and miserable. Considering its strong reputation among exploitation aficionados, this is perhaps the most disappointing movie I've seen this year.
  • John2223
    January 9, 2010
    John2223
    Very rare, not your typical Giallo film. The acting is great and the story is well done. Good locations, an intense and moody score, mysterious characters, hidden secrets and a surprise ending that actually works.
  • patrickdol
    May 6, 2008
    patrickdol
    A creeping kind of movie. Definitely strange and different and probably one mostly for fans of euro-shock cinema.
  • kingmob6
    February 8, 2011
    kingmob6
    Gave this one a re-watch after purchasing recently, trying to clear the To-Watch Pile sooner than later.

    The film is a very effective and at times unsettling thriller set in a remote village where an artist is summoned to restore a fresco on the church wall, only to find mystery... read more and death surrounding both himself and the artist who painted the original mural.

    Recommended.
  • mpghoul1973
    July 9, 2010
    mpghoul1973
    The unique story and Avatis masterful way of building upon the suspence really sets this Giallo apart from the rest. Its a bit of a slow crawl but the story keeps builing until the end when this film becomes truly frightening. Seriously, the ending was as creepy as it gets. Not a... read moren easy feat in this genre.
    This was the first film ive seen from Pupi Avati and i look forward to uncovering more from this guy. He really crafted a great film. This is one I would definatly mention when talking great Giallos. This is sophisticated sleaze!
  • holmennnguy
    July 20, 2009
    holmennnguy
    I certainly would not rank this among the greatest Horror films of all time. Not even close. However, The House With Laughing Windows is still a very good Italian horror/mystery. It takes a bit to get started, but the last 30 minutes are terrific. I was left wondering up until th... read moree very last minute, and I like when movies do that. There was some poor acting in parts and it got boring. But some creepy scenes, a good twist, and a great ending all made up for it. This is worth a watch if you like 70s Horror.
  • genuwine57
    January 12, 2008
    genuwine57
    technically a giallo, but is more like a bridge between classic gothic horror films and later stephen king or even x files with a much darker, more dreadful feel to it. manages to be just as scary and mysterious as any giallo without all of the blood, knives, scary music or nudi... read morety or the others.

View All La Casa dalle finestre che ridono (The House of the Laughing Windows) Reviews

Critic Reviews

Anton Bitel
July 9, 2007
Anton Bitel, Eye for Film

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. Full Review

Caryn James
April 14, 2012
Caryn James, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Emanuel Levy
October 1, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

This list looks lonely.
Add a suggestion!

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

La Casa dalle fin... : Watch Free on TV

La Casa dalle finestre che ridono (The House of the Laughing Windows) Trivia

Movie Quizzes

No quizzes for La Casa dalle finestre che ridono (The House of the Laughing Windows). Want to create one?

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All La Casa dalle finestre che ridono (The House of the Laughing Windows) Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add La Casa dalle finestre che ridono (The House of the Laughing Windows) to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?