[psycho d]

The House With Laughing Windows (1976). As the credits first start rolling, with the tortuous opening scene and that discomfiting dialog, The House With Laughing Windows threatens to be a viciously mean gore fest. But this simply not the case. Instead, this is a slow burning Gothic giallo that encumbers an originality in film that is rarely enjoyed.

The story was an original take on a painting of a saint, but the weird twists and turns are like a giallo turned on its head. But unlike a typical giallo, the story never churns out gratuitous nudity or gore, nor does the story flout storytelling believability in the face of style. In other words it is pretty convincing on its own. That said, it is not without its own special brand of viciousness, for there is one scene whose brutality is more felt than seen.

The acting was more than a notch above the standards for the genre, which almost demands that the audience flinch a time or two from acting so bad that it elicits responses that are almost out of some primal form of self defense. Instead every performance is a fairly accomplished one. Maybe having a solid story did not necessitate the need to detract from it with woeful performances, who knows?

Director Pupi Avati (any kid in the states with that name would not have made it through middle school) deserves rightful accolades for this fine piece of work. First and foremost is that he creates a continually building sense of atmospheric dread, allowing the story to find itself instead of being driven with gratuitous action, not that there is anything wrong with some eye-popping gratuity. Amazingly, this atmosphere works side by side with its stylish filming. The photography was amazing; excellent shot composure; appropriate use of sepia tones; expert use of shadow; stellar pans; and what could only be thought of as an ingenious jigglescope that emoted a discombobulating tremble down the spine. Then there was the audio and its brilliant capacity to startle the crap out ya even when you know something is up. It all comes together to create this sublime giallo.

Though not for everyone, this mysterious little gem is a must see for any giallo or even horror fan that can muster up a little patience as this flick slowly builds to its dramatic and diabolical end.
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