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Windows

Play trailer Poster for Windows R 1980 1h 36m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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20% Tomatometer 10 Reviews 13% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
A shy woman (Talia Shire) and her police protector (Joseph Cortese) are watched by her admirer, a weird woman (Elizabeth Ashley) with a telescope.

Critics Reviews

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Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times 05/01/2018
1/4
We suspect right at the beginning that so-and-so is going to turn out to be the villain... and then, an hour later, after the plot thickens, there is the less-than-astonishing revelation that so-and-so is indeed the villain -- just as we suspected. Go to Full Review
Gary Arnold Washington Post 05/01/2018
You can't help wondering how the filmmakers contrived to rationalize this idle mixture of the vicious and the ludicrous to themselves. Go to Full Review
Michael Blowen Boston Globe 04/28/2018
The most despicably silly movie of the year. Go to Full Review
Trace Thurman Horror Queers Podcast 01/21/2025
3/5
Understandably reviled for its depiction of a queer villain upon its release, Windows is bolstered by committed performances from Shire and Ashley, who manage to elevate the material just enough to merit a watch. Go to Full Review
Joe Lipsett Horror Queers Podcast 01/17/2025
3.5/5
Released at an extremely contentious period for queer representation in film, Windows struggles from being both an exploitation film and a classy thriller. The film is visually gorgeous, though and Ashley delivers an iconic queer villain performance Go to Full Review
Andrea Loewenstein Gay Community News (Boston) 08/30/2022
One of the stupidest movies I’ve seen in a long time. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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05/05/2020 This movie stinks. Most notable for being the sole directorial effort by ace cinematographer Gordon Willis, Windows features a performance by Talia Shire that is so lifeless, it couldn't generate sparks if she stuck a fork in a wall socket. Marred by plot holes large enough to drive a fleet of Freightliners through, the film's greatest success is being worthy of the universal panning it received upon release. See more 04/29/2014 On the Linoleum Knife podcast where they review TRANSCENDENCE the guys reminded me that I had seen this offensive dreck. Thanks a lot guys. See more 03/28/2013 The only movie directed by cinematographer Gordon Willis (he also photographed it). The description here is awful, so don't pay much attention. This is one of the more unusual horror film that you're likely to see. Slowly pace and more concerned with character and performance than you typically see from the genre. Talia Shire is better than I've ever seen her, and Elizabeth Ashley is just incredibly creepy. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the strange. See more 08/21/2011 Whoa. The script is terrible. Beyond terrible. And in a way that makes it not even fun to watch. It's unreal that this got made. With all of that said, it's a must-see film and one that should have a larger cult following. Elizabeth Ashley is turned up to 11 and sometimes that's all you really need. Her cigarette smoking while listening to Talia Shire moan with a knife in her mouth is epic. As is [spoiler] the death of Talia Shire's cat, who is put in a freezer. It's lesbian horror at it's best. It is a beautiful film. It's not Gordon Willis' fault. I don't know who's fault it is. There's SOMETHING here, I just don't know what. I do think it will be relevant to film history. It's already being written about by some brilliant people. It needs to be put on Blu-Ray immediately. See more 06/29/2009 Yes, I am so happy Flixter added this terrible, terrible film, directed by the DP of the Godfather. If you're in the mood for unintentional laughs and the slowest, most overly long film climax of all time, look no further than Windows. See more Read all reviews
Windows

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Movie Info

Synopsis A shy woman (Talia Shire) and her police protector (Joseph Cortese) are watched by her admirer, a weird woman (Elizabeth Ashley) with a telescope.
Director
Gordon Willis
Producer
Mike Lobell
Screenwriter
Barry Siegel
Distributor
United Artists
Production Co
Mike Lobell Productions
Rating
R
Genre
Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 18, 1980, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 2, 2020
Runtime
1h 36m