While American Horror films like The Omen and Carrie were major hits in 1976, select others arrived in theaters to thrill fans’ delight, such as Burnt Offerings and Alice, Sweet Alice. Then, across the Atlantic and down by the Mediterranean Sea, Italy was still in the midst of a golden age of Horror cinema, and adding to their ranks were films such as The House with Laughing Windows.
A film that arrived in Italian theaters on August 16, 1976, The House with Laughing Windows (also known as La casa dalle finestre che ridono) emerged during a wave of Giallo-style films that captivated audiences during the decade. Preceded by movies like Aldo Lado’s Short Night of Glass Dolls from 1971, Lucio Fulci’s Don’t Torture a Duckling from 1972, Sergio Martino’s Torso from 1973, Umberto Lenzi’s Spasmo from 1974, and Dario Argento’s Deep Red from 1975, The House with Laughing Windows’ unique approach to the sub-genre stood out. While other Giallo entries emphasized a broad color scheme to create a mood artfully, The House with Laughing Windows is far more muted, offering a bleak atmosphere from start to finish.
Directed and co-written by Pupi Avati, up until The House with Laughing Windows, he had never worked in Horror, and would only do so once more, seven years later, with Zeder in 1983. A highly skilled filmmaker, some might not recognize Avati’s name among Italian Horror film greats during the ’70s (like Argento, Fulci, or Lamberto Bava), but that is because he chose to explore other genres rather than focus solely on Horror. Not particularly a lover of the genre personally, looking at the effectiveness of his limited work, especially with The House with Laughing Windows, you have to wonder what contributions he might have made had he continued in Horror.
Nonetheless, Avati’s The House with Laughing Windows is simply astounding, with an unsettling mood that builds on itself with each passing moment. Summarizing it, the story takes place in a remote Italian village in the Valli di Comacchio area, where an art restorer named Stefano (played by the award-winning Lino Capolicchio) is hired to restore a mural (a fresco) in a local church. A naturally inquisitive individual, Stefano soon learns that the painting’s original artist, Buono Legnani, earned the nickname “Painter of Agony.” Stefano soon discovers the mad artist, known for his gruesome depictions, had equally insane sisters named Donna and Laura, who tortured and killed others as models for his paintings. Extremely disturbing, the most uneasy aspect of it all is that Stefano ends up staying at his presumed deceased sister’s home while he is working in the village.
(images not sourced directly from the disc and are not indicative of 4K quality)
A slow burn that runs substantially longer than many other Horror films of the period, clocking in at 110 minutes, The House with Laughing Windows takes a while to get under your skin. However, once it does, it will haunt you longer afterwards. Also starring award-winning Francesca Marciano as a schoolteacher named Francesca, who becomes Stefano’s love interest, the film’s plot might be overtly gloomy, but it also offers depth and romance.
Making the climax even more horrifying and tragic, The House with Laughing Windows is something that will take you by surprise. Clearly not widely known, perhaps it is overlooked because, unlike other Italian Horror films at the time, which had an English dub option for broader audiences, it is solely in Italian. Nonetheless, whether you have seen it or not, now there is an opportunity to experience The House with Laughing Windows in 4K Ultra HD for the first time.
Released as a limited-edition 4K Ultra HD set on December 2, 2025, through Arrow Video, without question, this is your best option for experiencing the film. A far better image than the 2006 DVD or any other home media that came thereafter, the restoration from the original camera negative is top-notch. Matched with restored audio, the new restoration maintains a consistent, impressive quality throughout.
Beyond this, there are new commentaries, a brand new feature documentary called Painted Screams, a reversible sleeve with original art on one side and new art by Peter Strain on the other, plus a double-sided poster with new and original art. All great extras, on top of it all, there is also a neatly bound collector’s booklet with deeper insight into the film.
Overall, The House with Laughing Windows is a must-watch, and this limited edition 4K Ultra HD set from Arrow Video is a must-have. That is why Cryptic Rock gives it 5 out of 5 stars.
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