Art restorer Stefano (Lino Capolicchio) is brought to a small rural Italian town to restore a forgotten Saint Sebastian fresco. As he starts his work, he becomes entangled in a mystery related to the artist who created it and finds himself plunged into obsession and paranoia. As Stefano continues his work, he is targeted by someone who doesn’t want him to reveal the full fresco. Can he complete his work and unmask his tormentor before it’s too late?
‘The House With Laughing Windows’ is a 1976 film from director and writer Pupi Avati. The giallo has now been released on 4K and Blu-ray by Shameless Screen Entertainment, giving the cult classic a restoration under the supervision of Assistant Director Cesare Bastelli with additional grading enhancement appraised by Pupi Avati. The film has never looked or sounded better, and it’s sure to be on the must-have list for giallo fans.
The film wastes no time jumping into the story, with an opening that is sure to unsettle viewers before introducing main character Stefano, played excellently by Lino Capolicchio. Stefano sets to work quickly on restoring the fresco and ingratiates himself in the town with the locals. Following a brief dalliance with a promiscuous school teacher, Stefano meets Francesca (Francesca Mariano), a young woman that replaces the older teacher. The two embark on a romance with that bubbling along as they join forces to resolve the mystery of the fresco.
As Stefano progresses his work, he’s subject to threatening phone calls and when people in the town start being murdered, he realises that his own life is in danger. Director Pupi Avati builds a chilling atmosphere as Stefano begins investigating the mystery and he finds himself temporarily living in a house with a bed-ridden old woman and her creepily unpleasant son. There are plenty of clues along the way, as well as misdirects, and even when the film loses its grasp on logic, you remain invested thanks to its quirkily off-beat tone.
Where the film perhaps falter is in trying to keep the story front-and-centre. Stefano’s rushed relationship with Francesca – they go from meeting to being serious lovers within a matter of minutes – pulls focus at times when you’d rather be knee-deep in the central mystery. By the end, things are a bit chaotic but it does feel authentic to the tone that Avati sets early on, so even if you’re not 100% following what’s going on, you’ll still enjoy the film. The film triumph’s largely due to the direction, which keeps things pacy and engaging.
The new release is packed with interviews including director Avati, stars Lino Capolicchio and Francesca Marciano among other members of the cast and crew. The Blu-ray version boasts a newly graded 1080P HD encode from the 4K-restored camera negative, and new English subtitles.
‘The House With Laughing Windows’ may not go down as one of the greats of the giallo genre, but it’s plenty entertaining for giallo fans. The mystery is sufficiently engaging and the direction from Avati really lifts the material. If you want a giallo with plenty of intrigue and suspense, then you should check this film out. As long as you’re happy to leave logic at the door, you’ll have a frighteningly good time!
Cast: Lino Capolicchio, Francesca Marciano, Gianni Cavina, Giulio Pizzirani Director: Pupi Avati Writers: Pupi Avati, Antonio Avati & Gianni Cavina Certificate: 18 Duration: 110 mins Released by: Shameless Screen Entertainment Release date: 29th December 2025 Buy ‘The House With Laughing Windows’ now
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