Windows (1980) User Reviews (34)

Watch for Ashley and NYC

[mike_NY · 6/10 · 30 April 2020]

There are two reasons to watch this movie: Gordon Willis's cinematography & Elizabeth Ashley. It's not as lame as it is made out to be and has exquisite production values, but that being said, it is very niche, succeeding neither as a slasher nor a thriller, but occupying some odd space in between.

"Windows" also reminds us that you can be a great cinematographer but that doesn't necessarily translate to directing: in fact, Gordon Willis never directed another movie again. As far as Elizabeth Ashley, for those not acquainted she was sort of a Tallulah Bankhead of the 70s and 80s. She had a storied Broadway career and multiple husbands and was on The Tonight Show more than 20 times simply because Carson found her amusing. She is captivating, even in claptrap melodrama like this.

This movie was lambasted by the critics when it first came out, snuffing out Talia Shire's major studio leading lady career in the process. Shire had been a hot property after "The Godfather" and "Rocky" movies...but she made three high profile bombs in a row: "Old Boyfriends", "Prophecy", and, finally, "Windows." Film careers ending after a bomb or two happened to a lot of actresses back then and Shire was probably given more chances than most but the bottom line was she just couldn't carry a film.

The movie looks terrific. Ashley wears a series of shimmery Bloomingdales middle-aged Disco blouses and it is impossible not to look at her. She's very interesting as an actress. The city is shot like a lullaby...to Brooklyn (The Brooklyn Heights Promenade and Cher's Cranberry Street block in Moonstruck figure prominently, as does The River Café as well as Fulton Street near Brooklyn Bridge Park, or as it referred to in Windows: "River Street") and Pearl Street in Lower Manhattan. The use of locations is a wonder and everything is very desolate. It definitely creates a mood of unease.

Now, the problems. I don't have an issue with Shire's character, exactly. She is beyond mousey and nearly sexless, with her Prince Valiant hair and series of brown patterned sweater vests and plaid shirts worthy of an assistant librarian. She is certainly not someone one would expect Ashley to be obsessed with. Perhaps that is the point? But we'll never know because the entire story is underdeveloped. It seems to want to coast by on suspense but that is a flaw because there is hardly any suspense whatsoever. The film may have somewhat succeeded had it put some effort into characterizations. Instead we get some hints at what could have been and a choppy series of dull vignettes culminating in an anticlimactic showdown between Ashley and Shire. I do like that they don't spell everything out for you and, if you pause to think, the chain of events is coherent. But it's just not enough.

"Windows" could have been interesting. I think they were going for something akin to "let's make a women's picture about sexual obsession" but then lost their way. Ultimately, it is almost completely devoid of energy but a pleasure to look at and Ashley is always a treat to observe...even when she is wearing eyeglasses the size of dessert plates and stroking an enormous phallic telescope.

Beautifully shot thriller

[gridoon2024 · 6/10 · 17 August 2019]

"Windows" was directed by noted cinematographer (and frequent Woody Allen collaborator) Gordon Willis, and as one would expect, he has a great eye for artful compositions, creative use of light / shadow, and New York. The film is (nearly) always visually interesting, which helps sustain it through a rather thin story. Elizabeth Ashley is both touching and unsettling, but Talia Shire seemed to have already been typecast into the mousy, "Rocky's wife" type of roles. Trivia: apparently in 1979 you could rent an apartment in Brooklyn Heights for $300 a month!! **1/2 out of 4.

Willis gets a chance to take the reins...and drops them

[bob_meg · 5/10 · 24 January 2010]

This is one of those flicks I've wanted to see since it came out (I was underage at the time). The plot just sounded very freaky and bizarre. Regardless, it is one of the THE most impossible films to find since I don't believe it got a video release (except overseas) and I don't even think it played on cable in the '80s. It is however on YouTube now :-).

This film gets trashed by a lot of people immediately as being non-PC and homophobic. I think that's more a signpost of when the film was released, when attitudes toward people with other orientations weren't so enlightened.

No, the core problem behind this picture is that it's just a raving, stinking mess, and it really is virtually all Willis' fault. When you read the opening credits, your jaw drops...they read like an A-list of movie greats: Morricone, Bourne, Willis as DP. How could they screw this up? Easy. A) Don't build any suspense; B) Don't establish any characters or motivations; C) Allow the writer to write any damn thing he wants to, no matter how stupid or no matter what expense to the actors; D) Resort to constant dissolves when you don't know what else to do, especially since there is virtually no coherent action; E) Don't direct your actors...after all they're pros, they know exactly what to do. The list goes on....

This is a stalker movie....it should be about stalking. There is absolutely no fear built, no tension. It's a real master class in wasted celluloid.

Still, part of me has to admire this in a way you sometimes admire any bad movie. It sure didn't have any self-censoring going on. it did what it wanted to do and took no prisoners. One of the many things that makes it a museum piece today, even if that museum is a wax one.

Windows (1980) *

[JoeKarlosi · 2/10 · 7 March 2005]

WINDOWS (1980) */****

One of the all-time worst films I've ever seen. It's been 25 years since I saw this in a tiny theatre and simultaneously watched it vanish from history without a trace. This recent second viewing via a VHS dupe from some unknown source did not improve things much, but I've got a story to tell about this movie and how it's eluded me for such a very long time. This has become almost a "lost" film, and I'll have a theory later as to why nobody's seeing it anymore, aside from the basic fact that it simply stinks.

In 1980 I was 17 and went to see WINDOWS at the movies with my kid sister. It was only one of the two times in my life I ever recall going to a theatre with her, and we were both in shock at just how abysmal the feature before our eyes was. It was boring, badly acted, and by the final act, completely laughable. The whole theatre was in hysterics. It's not the kind of experience you forget when you're a movie fan, even 25 years after the fact.

The movie starts in its New York City setting with lousy actress Talia Shire (who apparently thinks she's still playing the timid Adrian from the first ROCKY film) being assaulted and raped in her own apartment, getting forced at knifepoint to moan and groan into the attacker's tape recorder. We later discover (and since it's not presented as any kind of mystery I'm not ruining anything that hasn't already been ruined) that Shire's got a psychotic and horny lesbian neighbor (Elizabeth Ashley) across the hall who's so in love with her that Ashley actually hired this rapist/goon to pull off the crime - so she can play the tape over and over and get off on it to her heart's content.

When Talia decides to move to a nicer apartment to start anew, Elizabeth and her loose screws aren't very far behind. She'll do anything to make Talia love her, as her ineffective psychiatrist seems to be aware. Enter vapid policeman Joseph Cortese (who's about as interesting as a door stop) to romance Shire (what the hell do Ashley and Cortese see in her insipid character anyway?) and "help" her ... in an unbelievable sequence, Shire is in a cab with a driver whom she recognizes as the rapist; she asks to be let off at a phone booth, calls the police, but is instructed to get back in the car with her attacker till the cops can get to them!

Besides being ineptly acted, WINDOWS is also dull and boring, but there's something curiously watchable about it for fans of bad movies only, for all its incompetence. It was the first and only film (no wonder) to be directed by cinematographer Gordon Willis; it was his photography that graced THE GODFATHER and some of Woody Allen's picturesque movies, so his shots of New York may be the one thing to watch for here, aside from getting a load of Elizabeth Ashley's embarrassing climax with Talia Shire. This film is also notorious as being the very FIRST film to be released in the entire decade of the 1980's, and of course as of this writing it's a movie that is virtually impossible to locate, as it was never released on home video except in France (I believe). It was through the wonders of the Internet that I was able to hunt this thing down and see how bad it still is.

So why has this film been so hard to track down? Well, for starters, it's got to be a humiliation to everyone involved. I'm fairly positive it's owned by Warner Brothers, and my personal opinion is that, in this Politically Correct world of today, we just cannot have a film available that depicts a homicidal maniac when she also happens to be a lesbian. But that in itself has made the movie all the more desirable for a viewing, and it's at the very least a reminder of the type of movies filmmakers used to be allowed to make. Proceed at your own risk -- if you can ever find a copy, that is.

And I don't do windows

[sol-kay · 5/10 · 5 October 2003]

**SPOILERS**Ridiculous movie about a crazed lesbian Andrea, Liz Ashley, who is so obsessed with Emily, Talia Shire, that she gets some degenerate taxi driver Lawrence don't call me Larry, Rick Petrucelli, to break into Emily's apartment and force her to sob and shriek into a tape recorder so Andrea can later listen to it to her hearts desire.

With Lawrence so stupid that one afternoon when he picks up Emily, what a coincidence in his cab he blows his cover by insisting that he knows her from somewhere; yeah jerk you know her from assaulting her a few days ago. Which has Emily take notice of him and call the police to have him arrested.

With Andrea so jealous of anyone that she suspects of standing in the way between her and Emily that she slashes them to death including Emily's 70 year old neighbor Mr. Marx ,Michael Gorrin, and even Emily's cat Jennie. "Windows" has the heaviest breathing that I ever herd in a movie! Breathing that would rival any porno film and even make the most obscene phone callers blush.

Talia Shire comes across very unconvincing as the damsel in distress from the big bad Liz who seems to have trouble trying to look terrified or even scared of her. There's also an interesting side note to the movie: Emily's male love interest Joseph Cortese, Det. Bob Luffrono, looks so much like Salvestor Stallone that for a moment I thought that I was watching "Rocky II". "Windows" is only good for some unintentional laughs which you get a lot of in it.

Too lugubrious to be laughable...

[moonspinner55 · 3/10 · 5 March 2001]

"Windows", a dreadful thriller about a lesbian psychotic and her straight-laced target, might have at least left us with some campy giggles, but alas--it is far too distasteful to laugh at. The opening scene, with Talia Shire attacked by a perv in her apartment, just goes on...and on...and on. What was director Gordon Willis thinking by allowing this ugly sequence to take up so much time? After this unfortunate encounter, our heroine turns inward and goes all quiet. Is there anything more deadly for a thriller then having a somnambulist leading character? She practically sleepwalks through the rest of the picture. The film has that dated, early-'80s look to it (brackish, shabby and "gritty", with thin neon lights snaking into shapes). I waited this thing out to see where the hell it was going. It goes nowhere...slowly. *1/2 from ****

Genuinely Disturbing

[jacegaffney · 7/10 · 16 September 2013]

WINDOWS reminds me of REFLECTIONS IN A GOLDEN EYE. When REFLECTIONS came out in 1967, it had the book thrown at it for being deviant, sick, perverse, reactionary, offensive, pretentious (which is such a mouthful that it makes one believe that the hater(s)doth protest too much). On top of these epithets, was the final body blow, and "just plain boring." It's difficult to be all of the above and be "just plain boring" to boot which is the reason I was compelled to check out both movies. I'm glad I did. WINDOWS is not the outright triumph REFLECTIONS IN A GOLDEN EYE is, but it's thoughtful and original about something that shouldn't be dismissed by film lovers out of court. It's not sleazy or exploitative; as a matter of fact, that's a major problem with it. It refuses to further sensationalize its wildly lurid "givens." It's artful enough in its intentions to try to suggest that the tragedy of urban life is not the violence of melodramatic evil, but the glass cubicles people live in that link and separate them in devastatingly emotional ways. Gordon Willis' direction is typical of a first time director. It suffers from being too studied but it's far from daft or moronic; visually, it's as thought through as REAR WINDOW, its obvious predecessor in voyeurism. But there's nothing in REAR WINDOW, as seriously naked and exposed as Elizabeth Ashley's performance. It's interesting that when great actors like Brando (in REFLECTIONS IN A GOLDEN EYE), and Ashley in WINDOWS attempt something that goes beyond the average viewer's opinion of how a homosexual SHOULD be portrayed, there's is an automatic reflex action on the part of said viewer to distance themselves from the performance, to laugh at it or automatically dismiss it as being "over the top." This response is, in fact, more reactionary than the sins that have been dumped in the picture's lap. WINDOWS is not as dumb or insensitive as the knee jerk response it provokes in most people who feign an interest in the dark side until it becomes too real.

Awful

[kristdavidson · 8 June 2002]

I found this film the other day at a market stall; quite an obscure film. The film appears to be quite good when you read the back of the box, but when you watch it...really awful. The only thing Gordon Willis seemed to care about was the photography. In a film like this you need great acting. We don't get great acting however and you cannot take the film seriously. It just gets ludicrous at times, especially the psycho-lesbian lover storyline. It is disgracefully misogynistic, which is another reason not to watch the film.

I will say that the film's photography is stunning though (similar to woody allen's 'interiors') but that is the only reason to watch this garbage.

A rightfully forgotten movie

[preppy-3 · 1/10 · 7 February 2002]

I had totally forgotten this crap until I was watching "Rocky" last night. After seeing Talia Shire this all came back to me. Talia Shire is raped by a (literally) slobbering man. He was hired by her neighbor (Elizabeth Ashley!), a psychotic lesbian (sigh), to drive Shire into her arms.

Offensive, homophobic, sick, dull when not offensive. Shire has never mentioned this movie (I wonder why) and Ashley herself said she took it because her agent was getting sick of her turning down offer after offer. She also said it should play the third movie in a triple bill at the drive-in. Director Gordon Willis (a talented cinematographer) never directed another movie. This was a box office disaster. What does all this tell you?

Also it contains one of the stupidest sequence EVER put on film. Shire is in a cab and quickly realizes the cab driver is the one who raped her. She has him stop the cab, she gets out and calls the police and then is told to get BACK in the cab till the police arrive!!! I'm no police officer but I don't think that would ever happen in real life. Other comments here have said there was laughter in theatres playing this back in 1980--probably this scene set people off.

Still, I think this is too disturbing to be even good for laughs. It was never even released on video. I would like to hear what Shire and Willis (if he's still with us) think of this now. Avoid.

Looking in Windows

[danielturek · 7/10 · 15 August 2006]

Windows is a misunderstood comment on society. Viewers obviously didn't understand in 1980 exactly what director Gordan Willis was trying to convey. This is an examination of gender and sexuality that could never be made today. Shire gives an understated and believable performance and took this risky role that helped end her promising career. Shire however has the last laugh as she can proudly look back now and remember that she made an important film. The cinematography and set design makes this an important chapter in the urban thriller genre. Fans of Gordan Willis will be thrilled by the cinematography, as he directed this motion picture and thereby was given free reign to show off his creative genius. Shire however has the last laugh as she could proudly look back now and remember that she made an important film. This is a great complement to Coppla's The Conversation. The two make an exciting great double feature. I implore you to join me in my campaign to bring this underrated gem to DVD and help it achieve its rightful place among cinemas classic titles.

Boring

[acidburn-10 · 1/10 · 29 July 2009]

After hearing all the bad things that has been said about this movie, I didn't care I still wanted to see it. But they were right the bad things that have been said about this movie are actually true, This has one of the most boring-est movies I have ever seen.

"Windows" is about a shy recently divorced woman named Emily (Talia Shire) living alone in a New York apartment with her cat. When one night she is attacked in her apartment and raped and is forced to moan into a portable tape player while the rapist forces a blade into her mouth.

The next morning she reports the attack to the police. Whilst they are interviewing her, Emily's neighbour, Andrea (Elizabeth Ashley), comes by to comfort her. Emily is so upset by the attack that she decides to move to a new apartment, but whilst moving out the mysterious man tries to attack her again – only, Andrea manages to stop him entering the apartment. However, Andrea is not all she seems. She has the tape recording of Emily's attack. It becomes apparent that she is in love with her – and had hired a violent rapist to make the recording; to turn her on and turn Emily against men, and into her arms. Unaware, Emily continues to see Andrea as a friend, and starts a relationship with the cop investigating her attack (Joseph Cortese). Andrea becomes increasingly unhinged, and takes to spying on Emily through a telescope ...

This movie was apparently infamous as it was criticised for portraying gay people as psychotic and disturbed. But I didn't find that aspect to be true in this movie's case because anyone can be psychotic gay or straight people.

But it's none of these reasons why I dislike this movie so much, I dislike this movie simply because it was dull, to be honest I'm surprised Talia Shire even had a career after this mess, talk about a bad choice. This movie was just distasteful through and through, I mean even the final showdown was incredibly dull and pointless. (All we get is a slap across the face), talk about exciting and that copper he was dull as dishwater and him and Talia Shire had no chemistry between them, and lastly Elizabeth Ashley I just found her laughable in this and not convincing at all.

All in all it's understandable why this movie is so hard to find is because it's just bad and should stay locked away forever.

Put that on DVD !

[richard-seelbach · 8/10 · 10 December 2007]

I don't know much about the history of this movie which nevertheless seems to be interesting. I've read nearly all the comments on IMDb about it (on a rainy Sunday) which, with a few exceptions, sound all alike. I'm 37, so I didn't have the chance to watch it in a theater. I'm unfortunately not able to find out anything about the original aspect ratio of it. A video (VHS) (with aspect ratio 1.33 : 1) edition came out in Germany in 1987 and it's not hard to track down these days. I bought it a week ago together with Friedkin's 'Cruising' from that same year and watched them as double features with friends (all around my age). First I have to say (for both movies): Neither my friends nor me (all being not 'politically correct' but very sensitive about offensive perspectives, words or actions going out from filmmakers concerning their attitude about the subject of the particular movie) found anything projectedly homophobic in those movies! Talking about 'Windows' I'm not quite sure that Elisabeth Ashley's character is a lesbian at all. She seems to be more like a split personality with psychotic parts. There may be lesbian undertones but the topic in itself is not exploited (negatively or machoesque or in any other way) here! I'm sure there were no 'bad' intentions (not from Gordon Willis and not from Mister Friedkin, concerning the other 'case')even if considering that times were pretty different in 1979/1980. As you can see from the title windows are used as key visuals in this movie. Much of it is seen (in both directions) through them, very often the city and the (then intact) skyline of New York (which is photographed so hauntingly beautiful that sometimes it seems to stand in the middle of the room with the actors). So naturally a voyeur's view is achieved, which stresses the (as I see it) purpose of the movie: A comment about dysfunctional social life in modern big cities used as background for a moody thriller. Talia Shire (as Emily Hollander) is stuttering and having a divorce, everybody seems to have an analyst and even Elisabeth Ashly's character is almost painfully lonely and more of a victim than anything else. Being a very important and successful director of photography Gordon Willis nonetheless relies a bit too much on his strong, dark and sometimes (seen from today) beautifully old-fashioned photography and his obvious love for New York. The script is not the strongest, at least seen in a badly dubbed German version. 'Windows' is not a classic, but I'd recommend it if todays films sometimes appear to be a bit too hasty and fast-cut to some of you. I don't really understand the negative fuss, even when it came from a young and perhaps a bit too careful (again seen from today) gay movement, that's been made around it for the last 27 years and that even killed the career of Mr. Willis as a director. He was hassled so much by the reactions on the movie that he said a couple of years ago that 'Windows' would be the biggest mistake in his entire life! As one conclusion I think especially the people at Warner's should take all this into consideration (rewatch and rethink!), give absolution and perhaps a 'sorry' to Mr. Willis (he's not the youngest anymore!!!) and put it out on DVD.

Not bad..but not great

[dpayne-9 · 6/10 · 15 December 2019]

This is a fascinating, however flawed film. It's hardly perfect, as so many of the negative reviews here will attest. But it's not nearly as awful as so many people expecting something else - more blood? more bodies? more shock cuts? more exposition? more girl-on-girl action? - might suggest. "Windows" is the only film directed by celebrated cinematographer Gordon Willis, the "Prince of Darkness" who photographed the Godfather films, "All the President's Men" and a number of Woody Allen's best films made between 1977 and 1985.

"Windows" is a stunningly beautiful film, shot on location in Brooklyn with many gorgeous shots of NYC (with the Twin Towers off in the distance) and many angles of the Brooklyn Bridge. Willis was a native New Yorker and obviously loves the city (as evinced in the gorgeous "Manhattan") and he films New York in a way that makes you feel like you are part of the story. The story that was filmed obviously differs from the original script ("Corky") that was provided. Willis seemed to want a movie that was more Hitchcock (think "Rear Window") than Hitchcockian (think "Dressed to Kill"). But the result is, well, not much of either. Indeed, Elizabeth Ashley's character went from man-transitioning to manly lesbian...like that made any more sense. And Talia Shire's damsel in distress is, well, just distressing.

There was also a bit more Hitchcockian humor in the original script, which is unfortunately absent here. Many things appear to be missing here: scene after scene ends suddenly and unresolved; some scenes play out with no dialogue or resolution; Ennio Morricone's score seems heavily edited; Talia Shire's character, Emily, doesn't seem to be all there herself - and her oddity doesn't explain her sexual appeal to everyone; Emily's relationship with Andrea (pronounced not like the woman's name, but rather a man's name) is never realistically explained; the attack at the beginning of the film seems unusually staged (even though that's exactly what it is) - and the cab ride with the perp is unbelievable in the extreme. The film winds up as a series of weird compromises that cannot have pleased anyone.

Still, "Windows" is worth watching. Willis may not have made a great director, but what he puts up on screen is utterly fascinating. The way he lights scenes and doesn't light faces is amazing. He can make you fear Elizabeth Ashley while she does little more than throw a creepy shadow. The location shooting can't be beat. Elizabeth Ashley gives a bravura performance, even if it doesn't make much sense...but there's no accounting for someone in love. Even if the final film differs from what might have originally been intended, there is something here, as in "Eyes of Laura Mars," "Cruising," "American Gigolo" and "The Fan," that is credible and fun to watch. It's also a top-tier NYC film.

Literally one of the worst movies ever made

[mord39 · 1/10 · 1 October 2000]

I only viewed this film one time in my life, at a theatre some twenty years ago in 1980. It's rare that one can recall how awful a movie is based on a single screening two decades later, but trust me about WINDOWS. I don't believe the flick has ever been released for home video on any format, and it appears to be lost. Thank Heavens. I'll never forget the audience howling in uncontrollable laughter at the goings-on in this abomination!

Very interesting Warner movie !

[falmoury · 15 January 2003]

Directed by the cinematographer of THE GODFATHER and starring 2 good actresses. Storyline is quite interesting and camera job impressive. It is an original movie. As it was a Warner release (and as I have the Warner Home Vidéo VHS in French version) I wonder how the former commentary can wonder if it was released in vidéo ? Besides, it is the perfect example of a, by now, rare title, which sould be offered again on DVD with sharp image quality and, of course, French soundtrack or subtitles !

"I won't hurt you. I Love you."

[lost-in-limbo · 4/10 · 23 March 2013]

The first film to kick of the 1980s and having somewhat of a cult reputation due to its daring (if not explicit) lesbian overtones and somewhat box-office failure. "Windows" is an immensely so-so, dour obsessive psycho thriller affair with some creative photography and an effectively sensitive lead turn by Talia Shire (who just came off "Rocky 2"). She really does impress in her timid role and convincingly portrays someone who's battling their own insecurity. Outside the sullen cinematography, Shire's performance and the slightly disturbing and intense opening assault sequence. It's rather disappointing, overdone and a banal effort.

Elizabeth Ashley starring opposite of Shire as the compulsively manipulative and startling neurotic friend who really takes a liking to Shire's character. What she does to her is really screwed up, unstable and it generates a real uneasy mood around her when on screen. However I find her stalker performance grating and somewhat off. Joseph Cortese gives a sleepy turn as the detective looking into the case and the uninteresting love interest formed with Shire. The rest of the support add little colour.

Cinematographer Gordon Willis makes his film debut and so far to be his only crack at the director's helm. For most part it meanders with little in the way of suspense. Slowly building towards it underwhelming payoff. Sure it can be malicious and dark in an atmospheric sense, but the dreary script bungles the psychological interplay with uneven patterns, ridiculous turns and blatant clichés that just go nowhere. It's the imagery that lingers with authentic urban locations, where lighting had that neon-touch with dim, shadowy passages and Ennio Morricone's music score is smoothly melancholy.

"It hurts".

Too much wasted potential here.

[Hey_Sweden · 5/10 · 9 August 2017]

"Windows" is a leisurely paced, not terribly interesting drama about meek New Yorker Emily Hollander (Talia Shire of "The Godfather" and "Rocky" fame). She is targeted by a neighbor, Andrea Glassen (Elizabeth Ashley, "92 in the Shade", "Coma"), an unstable lesbian. Andrea will go so far as to hire a scummy cabbie (Rick Petrucelli) to assault Emily and record her cries and moans. The balance of the story details what happens as Andrea continues to obsess over Emily, and the latter is attracted to a nice guy detective (Joseph Cortese, "Evilspeak", "Monsignor").

Renowned cinematographer Gordon Willis ("The Godfather", "Annie Hall") made his first and only directing effort with this film, which is not all that successful, unfortunately. If he had fully embraced the trashy elements of this material, that would have been one thing. It may have been distasteful to some viewers, but at least it would have been more entertaining than this. Willis directs it like an art house film, and it is lovely to look at (after all, he also served as his own cinematographer), but it's fatally bland.

And speaking of bland, Shire and Cortese are dull as dishwater. It's hard to imagine why Ashley would have much interest in her, or why she would have much interest in him. The only main performer here who's even slightly intriguing is Ashley, who plays her lovelorn, disturbed character more low key than you might expect.

Other than Ashley, the principal value lies in Willis' lighting and the pleasant music score by virtuoso composer Ennio Morricone.

Otherwise, this is not one film that this viewer would easily recommend to potential viewers.

Five out of 10.

Awful Movie

[chez-3 · 1/10 · 2 September 1999]

"Windows" had the distinction of being the very first film released in the decade of the 80's. It was as ominous beginning to the decade as it turned out to be the year's worst film.

Talia Shire plays a woman who is raped and then becomes the victim of a psychopathic lesbian who has her eyes set on Shire. Yes you read that right. The most ridiculous scene in the film comes when Shire catches a cab and recognizes the driver as the rapist. She gets him to pull over. What does she do? Run like hell? I think not. She calls the police and is instructed...get this....to get BACK in the cab until the police can find her and trail her.

This film is mind numbingly awful. It was the directing debut of noted cinematographer Gordon Willis. It's easy to see why he never directed again.

Bo-o-o-o-o-o-o-ring

[smatysia · 2/10 · 21 April 2003]

I suppose this was meant to be a psychological thriller, but it wasn't very thrilling. The acting was uninspired, but then they didn't have much to work with. The direction was ugly. The photography of NYC was nice, though. On an unrelated note, every time I see a pre-2001 shot of New York in a movie or something, especially one like this where the World Trade Center was a central feature, it just infuriates me anew about the crimes done by Allah's hit men. Anyway, back to the film -- Grade: F

Lousy script, weak acting and a magnificent photography.

[Rodrigo_Amaro · 4/10 · 28 August 2012]

So silly that it's almost intelligent, and so bad that it's almost good. Explaining "Windows" is so embarrassing that everything about it sounds so unbelievable, so marvelous and so insane that one might think I'm inventing this film with such a nonsense plot.

Brief details of the event: Talia Shire is having a fine day, walks back home and then she's assaulted by this mysterious man who threatened with a knife. The police is called, investigates and her dedicated neighbor Andrea (Elizabeth Ashley) comes to support her. Next thing we know is that she's the one who arranged for this attack so she could hear Talia screams and moans. Why? Because she's obsessed with her, she desperately loves her. That's what we're led to believe. The rest of the movie is just showing Andrea's failed attempts to get near her friend/neighbor, the analysis she has with her psychiatrist (should I feed you with more info or the picture is already formed in your head on who Andrea is), Shire's involvement with the detective (Joseph Cortese) following her case and interested in her as well.

The screenplay by Barry Siegel (so far his only work) is pitiful, mildly gripping, prejudiced by its meanders. It's entirely limited to clichés from psycho films but also trying to make a drama that's isn't inquisitive nor fully interesting, and even flirts with the romance that only works in the detective/victim relationship but forces too much when the final moments walks in (one of the most annoying anti-climax endings ever made). It's the kind of screenplay that needed to be written and rewritten countless times to finally get the chance of being decent or appealing to audiences. This is so "Fatal Attraction" before "Fatal Attraction", with threats, deaths, obsessions and all when it could be a much lighter film, psychological and positive to be seen.

Why people are so bothered by the portrayal given to the lesbian character in here? It wasn't so prejudicial, it showed a variation of a behavior and it wasn't setting this psychotic mannerisms as a pattern like the one developed in the controversial "Crusing" where all the gay characters were strong male sympathizers of S&M (even with that in mind, the bad reviews and the protests, that movie accomplishes to be greater than "Windows"). It's a little focused on stereotypes but it's not so hurtful or annoying.

"Windows" was Gordon Willis first and only film sitting on the director's chair, after many years as being one of the greatest cinematographers of all time. His photography here is beautiful, dark, perfectly match with the movie, and he filmed glorious shots of New York's street scene of the 1980's and there's lots of them in the movie, perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of the film. Too bad his direction of actors is cheap, confused and inspireless. I don't blame him all that much. With a script like that, there isn't much one can do. I might blame the casting director just a little. At times, there's this vague sensation of seeing something that is about to be good, a thoughtful project but when the actors are talking, "acting" and representing everything sounds phony and creepy. Stranger than this is when all the actors seem to getting up on scene while the story keeps going down and ridiculous. Shire shows some versatility in playing the stutter victim but there isn't much she can do with a weak, fragile, broken to pieces character. Ashley is playing this male hater yet with some masculine aspects, rough, rarely delicate (only when reading her love poem to the doctor) and this is the kind of character that in a good movie would be more important than the victim, a profound characterization of body and soul. But no, she's out of time and it's unbearable to watch at times.

I have said too much, I know, you're probably running to watch this now. Gladly, this is a little difficult to find. I'll take the suggestion of a fellow reviewer here and support a remake of this film since there's things in it that can be better explored now. But I add this: trade the women and replace them for men. I'm imagining this movie right now. It can be awesome, far more violent and please, whoever made this, emphasize just a little the romantic point of view of someone's suffering for not having the other person instead of just planning attacks and recording moans. That was so brutal and wrecked of what could be a good film. 4/10

Not THAT Bad...

[vorazqux · 8/10 · 26 June 2012]

I've read the user reviews for this film, and some of them seem way too harsh. I understand Windows was critically bashed during its theatrical release and considered offensive to many viewers, but watching it today, it's not that bad. In fact, keeping an open mind as to how the characters interact with one another, it's at the very least interesting. Sure, there are plot holes the size of Manhattan, but this is a stylized thriller with beautiful photography at its core.

The story centers on a psycho named Andrea (Elizabeth Ashley) – who just happens to be a lesbian – infatuated with her timid neighbor Emily (Talia Shire). Andrea goes so far as to hire a creep named Obecny (Rick Petrucelli) to attack Emily and have the ordeal recorded. Andrea gets her kicks listening to the audio despite seeing a therapist. We soon learn that curing Andrea of her obsession may not be in the cards. What follows is Emily trying to cope and get on with her life while Andrea basically stalks and watches her through a telescope.

The film does drag a bit at times, but the climax certainly holds its own until the very end, where it just fizzles. However, I did scratch my head a couple of times in a good way by being perplexed as to what the intentions of the characters were. I also thought Ashley gave an unusual performance. Andrea was played as confused and sometimes volcanic, but with more subtlety, unlike an Alex Forrest (Fatal Attraction), for example. I think she should have been the focus of the film, giving Ashley more to work with and to create a deeper connection to the material. The acting was credible by the rest of the cast, especially Shire, who warms up to the role as the film progresses. Finally, the whole controversy over Andrea being a lesbian seems silly now. I mean, it's a character. We have all kinds of movies featuring different types of psychopaths relishing in various fetishes. Andrea just happened to be a lesbian whose obvious crush was going to be on another woman. Let's get over it already.

I wanted to see this film for over 30 years because of the controversy it spawned. Was it worth it? Yes and no. I didn't see it as controversial, but it did keep me watching until the end. Just watch the Syfy channel, and you'll see WAY more movies worse than this one in every respect, literally. If you do decide to see Windows, don't overanalyze it and remember this was the first and only directorial effort from the renowned cinematographer Gordon Willis.

Windex Please!!!!!!

[zardoz-13 · 1/10 · 15 February 2009]

By 1980, New York City, universally known as "the Big Apple," had become the incarnation of a paranoiac's nightmare. Movies like Michael Winner's revenge thriller "Death Wish," Walter Hill's gang epic "The Warriors," and William Friedkin's homosexual murder mystery "Cruising" had spawned this unsavory image and lenser turned director Gordon Willis' "Windows," an excellently made but egriegously scripted sizzler, starring Talia Shire and Elizabeth Ashley, appropriates this negativity for maximum impact. Clearly, at 96 minutes, the R-rated "Windows" exemplifies the theme of women versus women.

The voyeurish plot involves a mousey Emily Hollander (Talia Shire of the "Rocky" franchise), who is at the mercy of lesbian stalker Andrea Glassen (Elizabeth Ashley of "The Carpetbaggers"). Ashley pays a cretinous cabbie to rape Emily and tape record the performance. Later, after Emily has moved out of the apartment where she was raped and into a security apartment complex, Glassen has Emily's tabby cat killed and frozen. Glissen sets up a telescope and then watches Emily constantly before she confronts her with the truth that she must possess her! Along the way, Emily becomes involved with an N.Y.P.D. detective (Joseph Cortese).

Ace lenser Gordon Willis, who photographed Woody Allen's "Manhattan" and Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather, Part II," makes his directorial debut. Not surprisingly, Willis also doubles as his own cameraman. The technical credits are great, especially Willis' striking photography, two-time Oscar nominated Barry Malkin's suspenseful editing, and Ennio Morricone's atmospheric orchestral score. Talia Shire as victim and Elizabeth Ashley as predator deliver emotionally taut performances.

However, the Razzie nominated Barry Siegel screenplay is as sordid as it is stupid. Logic and motivation must have been thrown out the window. Happily, Siegel never wrote another screenplay. We are never told what it is that attracts Ashley to Shire. Presumably, only lesbians will know, but may hate this movie, too, for its phobic attitude. Similarly, Willis never called the shots on another movie, though he continued to lens them. My advice, unless you are written a term paper about "Windows," avoid it.

A Flat Film That Never Takes Off

[Michael_Elliott · 8 October 2017]

Windows (1980)

** (out of 4)

Emily (Talia Shire) walks into her apartment when she is attacked from behind. She is forced onto the ground with a knife where the man threatens to kill her unless she shows him what she has and that she moans in satisfaction so that he can record it. Police detective Luffrono (Joseph Cortese) questions Emily but she has no details of the man. Soon the two of them are striking up a relationship, which doesn't sit well with Emily's former neighbor Andrea (Elizabeth Ashley).

WINDOWS is a film that I heard about decades ago when movies like SINGLE WHITE FEMALE and THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE were making big cash at the box office. It seems WINDOWS was pretty much forgotten for the most part yet I always wanted to see it even with the rather negative reviews that it got. I must admit that the film wasn't very good and in fact it's pretty silly when viewed today. The film attempts to be a psychological study of two troubled women but in the end it's basically about a lesbian who can't tell another woman she wants her.

It's interesting that this same year also gave us CRUISING. That film was highly controversial and perhaps so much so that this film got away with the idea that a woman could be a nut simply because she was a lesbian and wants another woman. Instead of telling her she orders the woman to be sexually attacked and then she begins to stalk her. All of this should have made for a more interesting film but sadly WINDOWS just never really takes off. The biggest problem is the screenplay, which tries to avoid any real violence or anything all that dramatic and instead we just see the two women as they discuss their situations with the men in their lives. Emily has her cop friend and Andrea has her shrink.

I'm not going to sit here and say that the movie doesn't have any good qualities because it does. Shire was very good in her role, although the screenplay doesn't give her too much to do except to act scared at times and at other times to stutter. She's still quite good as the fragile woman as is Ashley, although she's given even less to do. The real standout was Cortese who was excellent in the role of the detective. The film does benefit from some nice cinematography and the New York City locations were great.

Some people might find the subject disturbing and some might find the film to be creepy but neither really worked on me. The film is mildly entertaining but it never has any real suspense and that's its real downfall. Gordon Willis was a wonderful cinematographer but it's easy to see why he never really blossomed as a director. The lack of any real energy or suspense kills the film and you just keep waiting for it to take off but it never does.

One of the most messed up, pointless scripts of all time.

[mark.waltz · 2/10 · 28 June 2020]

I've always wondered about this controversial thriller that came out before I could see R rated movies around the same time as "Cruising". I remember Siskel and Ebert on their TV review show panning both films, and while "Cruising" ended up coming out on VHS later on, "Window" was nowhere to be found. Finding it 40 years after its release, I can understand why it has barely seen the light of day. In spite of a potentially chilling story involving an obsessive lesbian (Elizabeth Ashley) arranging for neighbor Talia Shire to be brutally raped in a violent attack and pretending to be the good neighbor in Shire's time of need, continues to make Shire her prey.

Rather than come out and tell her how she feels or move on because it was obviously unrequitted, Ashley continues to stalk her in spite of seeing a male psychiatrist who requests that she get serious psychiatric help. This isn't a film about being in the closet. It's about being deep inside the walls of somebody's mind and not allowing that mind to breathe peacefully. On that aspect, it is a chilling and horrific melodrama with Ashley genuinely frightening, even when revealing her innermost thoughts. However, as a film, its script never seems to know which direction it is going, and there seems to be some terrible editing as well. Shire, while a good actress, is hardly leading lady material, and the focus on her character after a while becomes as depressing as her character's personality.

One particular gash in the editing comes from Shire having a drink with her new neighbor, Kay Medford, while her husband is way, and all of a sudden, Medord is on a gurney heading to the hospital, no rhyme or reason. Other moments of the film make no sense either. Vintage New York City location footage is always fascinating with fabulous shots from several penthouses overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge and World Trade Centers. This film remained in the closet for so long that the gay and lesbian community seemed to forget it even existed, pretty much having the same impact upon its release that "Cruising" did with obvious homophobia even though that film still remains much discussed. Interesting photography works thanks to director Gordon Willis, a veteran cinematographer who probably should have stuck to that rather than do what his mentor Woody Allen was extremely successful at.

Nope.

[adriangr · 4/10 · 5 August 2019]

Windows is a dreary film that is no fun to watch. It tells the tale of a mousey drudge named Emily who is obsessively stalked by her crazed neighbour Andrea. Andrea pays a cab driver to viciously assault Emily, and tape record it so she can listen to it later (is this love?). Andrea then watches Emily through a telescope that provides a crystal clear view into her apartment from a ridiculously distant vantage point across the river. She terrorises Emily further in an attempt to...well, I don't know what, and I don't think the film knows, either. A detective takes an interest in Emily and somehow puts the story together.

The film opens with the assault, which I will admit is pretty unpleasant, but for then on, everything becomes very slow, and a lot of it is hard to understand. The attacker actually comes back a second time (why???) but is stopped by Andrea who smashes a door on his hand (I hope she paid him extra for that, but this is never mentioned again). Then later, in a pivotal scene, Emily realised that the taxi she is riding in is being driven by the man who assaulted her. Her realisation of this seems to be when she sees his name on his licence. His NAME. Which she never knew. The fact that he has bandaged fingers (which is the REAL clue) is a barely acknowledged fleeting glimpse. Keeping her cool, she convinces the man to stop the cab so she can get out. And what does she do next? She makes a call from a public phone and then GETS BACK IN AGAIN!!

There's also pointless subplot involving Emily's elderly neighbours that has no effect on the plot whatsoever. Unless Andrea is supposed to have had something to do with it? I have no idea. The detective who is investigating somehow seems to work out that she is being watched by telescope, although I cannot remember how on earth he knew this. Andrea has scenes with a psychiatrist which do not help the plot in any way whatsoever.

The acting is fairly dreary, especially from the detective, and Talia Shire as Emily, who has no redeeming or attractive features at all, that might gain the viewer's sympathy. There isn't even a good ending. The film ends without showing Emily being rescued, or Andrea getting arrested. In fact, Andrea just disappears from the film at the end. Come ON! All in all, a very unsatisfying viewer experience.