The Haunted House

Giorgio Allegri and Candida Melengo are newlyweds who stumble upon a house priced so low it feels like a prank. They move in hoping to start their marriage with a fresh start, only to discover the property carries an ancient secret. The manor is said to be inhabited by two lovers who were caught by a vengeful mother and turned into salt by a curse. As night falls the couple encounters whispering echoes and happenings, and a ghostly Omar who may be less a threat than a guide. The legend promises a way to lift the spell, but the ritual rests in hands of newlyweds on their wedding night. The film mixes slapstick and supernatural tone, keeping twists and playful.

Directed by Bruno Corbucci, The Haunted House is a 1982 Italian comedy horror built from a screenplay by Mario Amendola, Mario Cecchi Gori and Enrico Oldoini. Renato Pozzetto and Gloria Guida lead the cast in a lively playful ghostly setup.

Box office data for this title isn't publicly documented, and it didn't become a major international blockbuster. It remains a relatively modest entry in the Italian horror comedy landscape of the early 1980s. It's a minor cult favorite locally too.

While not a household classic, the film sits in Bruno Corbucci's string of light horror comedies that pair a sunny Italian sensibility with spooky premises. Pozzetto's manic persona and Guida's screen presence give the film a breezy cult charm, appealing to fans of genre crossovers. Bonus for genre cinema fans.

Critically the film plays the humor against the eerie setup and keeps the scares light rather than truly frightening. It toys with marriage as a partnership under pressure, the lure of a bargain versus real security, and how a haunted house becomes a stage for dating misadventures and playful banter.