The House with Laughing Windows (1976)

 ☆ ☆ ☆ ½

The House with Laughing Windows (1976) – P. Avati

I’ve been cautious about watching Italian giallo films (so called because the original crime paperbacks they were based on had yellow covers), mostly because they are known for gruesome gore and violence, not to mention a tendency toward sexual violence and misogyny.  But some are worse than others, so I’ve tried to choose wisely. There are also some directors (say Bava or Argento) who are so stylish that their films are worth seeing even if you have to grit your teeth a bit. So, it was with some trepidation that I decided to watch Pupi Avati’s The House with Laughing Windows, which did not seem to fit the usual mold of black-gloved killers prowling after women in the night. Instead, we follow Stefano (Lino Capolicchio), an art restorer invited to a small village to work on a gruesome fresco painting of St. Sebastian in a church. Of course, he starts to suspect some sinister things are happening, confirmed when his only friend/acquaintance falls to his death from a window. Stefano receives some threatening phone calls and is abruptly turned out of his hotel, ending up in a lonely mansion (recommended by the church’s priest) that is occupied only by a bedridden elderly woman.  Soon, however, he is joined by Francesca (Francesca Marciano), a young teacher recently moved to the area, who becomes his love interest.  After they discover a creepy old tape recording of the painting’s artist, their interest in understanding his death is piqued. But things turn much darker very quickly (including a very disturbing scene where Francesca is attacked) en route to a very wild twist ending. Although slow and mysterious for most of its run-time (but not as completely confusing as others in the genre), the film does look great with its aged Italian homes and people.  The ending, although violent, does lift the film to a higher level, although it is by no means a masterpiece.

 

Illustrious Corpses (1976)

 ☆ ☆ ☆ ½

Illustrious Corpses (1976) – F. Rosi

I’ve been delighted to discover that there are seemingly endless choices of films starring Lino Ventura as a weary police inspector (competing with his portrayals of gangsters under stress).  So, when I heard about this Italian offering from director Francesco Rosi, I tracked it down but could not find a matching subtitle file (and instead watched it with subtitles trailing the spoken word by about 90 seconds – adding considerable confusion).  The plot sees Ventura investigating the murder of an Italian High Court judge which quickly turns into a series of murders of judges on the bench.  The clues start to lead into a political direction at which point Ventura gets cautioned by his superiors – you know the drill.  However, you might not expect where the film goes next and I won’t spoil the rather downbeat conclusion.  Suffice it to say that the ending makes the film, although everything looks quite beautiful in Italy as shot by Pasqualino De Santis.  Even with (or especially with) problematic subtitles, I still can’t get over the Italian habit of post-synched sound though… but I guess it solves the problem of having Max von Sydow feature as the Chief Justice of the High Court (unless he speaks Italian).

 

The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1976)

☆ ☆ ½

The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1976) -- H. Ross

Sherlock Holmes meets Sigmund Freud -- but we get a middling adventure story rather than a scintillating intellectual tete-a-tete. (2010 Review)

Yakuza Graveyard (1976)

☆ ☆ ☆ ½

Yakuza Graveyard (1976) – K. Fukasaku

Appearing just two years after the conclusion of the five-film Battles without Honour and Humanity yakuza saga, Kinji Fukasaku’s Yakuza Graveyard shows a lot of stylistic similarities.  (His late controversial success with Battle Royale was still decades away).  Tetsuya Watari plays a rogue cop who feels more sympathy (and develops more of an allegiance) with the yakuza involved in a gang war than he does for the corrupt police force to which he belongs.  Again, it’s the yakuaza’s code of honour that appeals to him – although this doesn’t stop him (and them) from gambling, drinking, using drugs, and supporting prostitution.  They do take care of the women who are left alone when their husbands die or are put in prison.  Perhaps these obligations are akin to strictly economic (exchange) relationships rather than love (communal) relationships; the latter are reserved for the male bonds. Once bonded (even between cop and yakuza, as here), the “brothers” will do anything for each other.  Fukasaku’s style is incredible – he makes full use of freeze frames, jump cuts, and even some psychotronic colouring when necessary (Watari is drugged).  It isn’t surprising that boundary-crosser Nagisa Oshima has a cameo.  The film speeds along at a very healthy clip, spiked by violence, and although the plot is occasionally muddled, it isn’t hard to follow the central action.  At times, there is a resemblance to the films of Jean-Pierre Melville (also a master of the “gangster’s honour” genre) and therefore to film noir.  But truly the yakuza film (and specifically those of Fukasaku) are a genre unto themselves and definitely worth checking out.

Burnt Offerings (1976)

☆ ☆

Burnt Offerings (1976) – D. Curtis

Dan Curtis mostly directed low budget horror movies for TV (and famously the Dark Shadows movies and TV series), but this putative haunted house thriller really goes nowhere.  Instead, Karen Black and Oliver Reed try to demonstrate who can act most crazy (and Bette Davis joins in for good measure).  Presumably the actors are somehow possessed by the house which fixes itself and drapes itself in flowers, presumably after accepting an “offering”.  But their struggles are rather tiresome and boring and the house doesn’t actually do anything scary.  IMdB says that this is “one of Stephen King’s favorite horror films” – probably because he doesn’t like The Shining.  But methinks that quote must be bollocks.  There is nothing to see here.  Maybe I need to check out some of those paranormal activity sequels.