BA_Harrison Art restorer Stefano (Lino Capolicchio) is hired to repair a damaged fresco in a remote village church painted by renowned local artist Buono Legnani, who was reputed to be mad, and who only depicted death and suffering in his work. As he carefully reveals previously unseen sections of the painting, Stefano also gradually uncovers a terrible secret that has blighted the town for decades.This giallo, from director Pupi Avati, seems to get an awful lot of love from Euro-horror fans, who praise it for its unsettling atmosphere, slow-burn approach, and cool visual style. If, like me, you're a fan of the genre, but tend to prefer them on the sleazier side, with lots of nudity and gore, be prepared to be disappointed and read between the lines when checking out the mostly positive reviews here on IMDb.For 'deliberate pacing', read 'slow and lifeless'. For 'brooding atmospherics', read 'dull story'. For 'classy' or 'stylish', read 'boring'. For 'unsettling', read 'it'll have you fidgeting in your seat'.And when people say that the twisted ending is 'a shocking revelation that will unhinge your mind', or some such claptrap, just be prepared to be massively underwhelmed: I found the surprise revelation at the end of the film ridiculous in the extreme but not in the least bit unnerving (far more disturbing for me was the discovery that gorgeous, young, snail-loving school-teacher Francesca, played by Francesca Marciano, wears over-sized granny pants!).

vesuvian After 35 years of anonymity, I want to state that I was asked by the director, Pupi Avati, and his brother Antonio to model for the painting. It took place one May day outside of Rome, and I was paid 35,000 lire (about $50) to have them photograph me for eventual conversion into a painting. I show up at the seven-second mark at the beginning of the film, and I know it's me, not only because I have two slides from the shoot, but because the scars on my knees were faithfully recreated by the (uncredited) artist.I have been attempting to get listed in the credits here on IMDb and would appreciate any advice as to how I can move from an anonymous role to seeing my name in the cast list. It's not much...though it would go a long way to realizing my dream of being in the movies.

Tender-Flesh I wanted to like this film. I'd heard some good things about it, and, as with most gialli, it does have some very good points. Director Pupi Avati knows how to build tension and use light and shadow to some very exceptional ends. But the look of the film stock seemed like it was shot on video instead of film. This seems to be another one of those horror films where everyone is in on the plot except our hero.An art restorationist arrives in a small town to work on an aging fresco depicting the murder of Saint Sebastian. He works in a church where the fresco is located and rents a small set of rooms in a strange villa on the outskirts of town. An old woman is his only other house mate and she is bedridden. But, our hero hears creaking floors at night and finds a strange recording of the fresco artist's voice talking riddles and madness. The artist is presumed dead as his body was never recovered, and although he had two sisters, no one seems to want to be forthcoming with the information as to their whereabouts. And some people end up dead, yada yada.The plot seems to be forcing itself on you and wants to make the overall feel of the movie more menacing than it really is. The direction is good but the material leaves you wanting. For gialli lovers only.

Lucabrasisleeps Yesterday I watched one of the my favourite giallos of all time. The House with the laughing windows(1976) was directed by Pupi avati. I have to admit my ignorance of Pupi avati as a director. I only know he has directed some other cult movie called Zeder. Judging by this movie, he was destined for great things but that potential was never fulfilled.The plot goes like this. Stefano is a restorer comes to an island in order to rescue the fresco depicting the suffering of St.Sebastian. The artist(now dead) was known to be a disturbed individual who painted scenes of death and suffering. He is somehow given a place to live by a somewhat mentally challenged individual. From this point onwards, he notices the sinister behaviour of the villagers. He doesn't understand it and decides to get to the bottom of the mystery that haunts the village.This giallo is unique and quite different from other giallos because unlike other giallos, there is not much gratuitous violence or sex to keep the viewer interested. There are no scenes which would shock the viewer or anything like that. That is one reason why giallo aficionados might not appreciate this movie completely. It does not have the usual gimmicks and over the top acting performances that are generally expected from giallo actors and actresses. The leading man(Lino capollichio) is amazingly capable of carrying the whole movie on his shoulders with a restrained performance of a man who is puzzled and somewhat disturbed by the village and its environment.The ending is one of best aspects of the film. It is the perfect payoff for patiently building the atmosphere throughout the movie. Another aspect is the creepy atmosphere throughout the movie. It is almost downright scary sometimes. In this aspect, this movie is similar to a movie like Don't look now or Japanese horror than generic giallo films or slashers.The negative aspects that may turn off some giallo lovers is that it is quite slow but the slow buildup in fact increases the tension and that makes the ending all the more worthwhile. The best scene(according to me) is the scene in the dark room where the hero walks through the room slowly. There is absolute silence in the room which is very unlike other giallo films.Final rating: 10/10. Yes, it may seem very high but it is worth the high rating. Anybody lucky enough to be able to get a copy of this movie should watch it.