Flowers in the Attic
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Movie Reviews of Flowers in the Attic
Movie Review: It's not that bad people (may contain spoilers!)
Summary: 5 Stars
I read all of the books in the Flowers In The Attic series when I was a teen. V.C. Andrews, then became one of my favorite writers.Her work is brilliant,cruel,and often all too real.She writes about topics a lot of other writers don't want to address,such as incest and child abuse.
Even long after her death,V.C. Andrews continues to put out Bestsellers...
This movie of Flowers In The Attic,came out in the eighties,and a lot of people on here feel it leaves much to be desired.And it does...in some ways.But it is no reason to blow this off as a bad movie.
First of all,there is no way the movie was going to include the incest parts that were in the book between Cathy and Chris~boundaries like that just weren't pushed yet in film as they are today.Today it would be no big deal,as all the buttons have been pushed already.It did take away from the movie somewhat,but I think what was most important~that these kids were gravely and sickly affected by being locked up for so long, was portrayed even without it.Anyhow,with a PG-13 rating,they probably couldn't get away it.
Other then that,the movie is fairly close to everything in the book.Is the book better? Absolutely! Could they remake this movie now and do it better? Definitely.
Some of the actors could have been chosen better.Chris was obviously way too old to play the part.I like Kristy Swanson,but did not feel she portrayed Cathy's pain as much as she could have.
Louise Fletcher,on the other hand,who plays the evil grandmother,was a perfect fit.And for those of you who haven't read the whole series,there is a follow up book called Garden of Shadows which tells the grandmother's side of things.You learn that Corrine actually married not her half uncle~but half brother, as Corrine and Christopher shared the same mother and their father's were brothers!
The grandfather Malcom cheated on the grandmother (Olivia) with his own father's young wife Alicia(I use the term cheated loosely as in the book it is clearly insinuated he forced poor Alicia against her will).
Malcom's father dies resulting from a physical altercation between him and Malcom,and Alicia is locked away in the attic until she gives birth to Corrine,who is passed off as being Olivia's.
Malcom's father and Alicia had their own son Christopher before his death,and after Alicia hands over Corrine,her and Christopher leave the mansion...
So when Corrine and Christopher are reintroduced years later,they think they are half uncle and niece,when really it is much worse and they are half brother and sister.
So in some ways you can understand why the grandmother is so cruel and callous towards Corrine and her children...she has been cheated on and betrayed since the beginning.Corrine and her children were spawned from her husband's infidelity and she has little patience in dealing with them.
Anyhow,it would hard for any movie to go into such great depth and include all the details of the books.The books are wonderful though.Truly horrifying.But the movie is worth seeing too.
Movie Review: Aryan incestoids escape torture and neglect and discover that keeping it in the family really is the best policy.
Summary: 5 Stars
The scariest thing about Flowers in the Attic, is that the novel by V. C. Andrews has sold billions of copies. For anyone who somehow missed the book, this is a story of four very blond children - a couple of strapping teens named Cathy (Kristy Swanson) and Chris (Jeb Adams), who like to sleep in the same bed and keep the bathroom door open. And then there's the little twinsies, Carrie (Lindsay Parker) and Cory (Ben Ganger). Their mother's name is Corinne (Victoria Tennant). If they have a cat, it is most likely named `Cat'.
This cute clan is disrupted by the death of father, whereupon Tennant takes them back to the family manse, from whence she was kicked out 17 years ago, after marrying her own uncle! She plans to regain the love of her dying father and inherit his fortune. (Apparently applying for a job and joining the workforce just never entered into the equation).
The kids are locked in a spacious bedroom and treated with extreme cruelty by their grandmother Louise Fletcher, who must have studied Piper Laurie's every move in Brian DePalma's "Carrie". (It's a shame she didn't notice the subtleties in that performance as well. Her acting is so over-the-top, if she had a black moustache, she would twirl it.) She calls them ''devil's spawn'' and goes so far as to trim Cathy's blonde locks. (oh no!)
The children spend most of their time in the attic - which they get to through a secret door in their room. It is here that their eyes grow cavernous - apparently from too much makeup. But what really gets to the kids is the realization that mother Tennant has been sprinkling arsenic on their cookies. (This makes Tennant a hero in our opinion as these children are so annoying and stupid, poisoning falls into the category of mercy killing.) But enough of this, lest, as little Cory, who eats more cookies than is good for him, puts it, ''We'll have to thwow up.''
Incestuous desires run rampant in the original novel, but the movie,written and directed for minimum impact by Jeffrey Bloom, only offers soft-focus innuendo. Stripped of its metaphorical trimmings, the sublimely ridiculous plot reduces the viewer to laughter more than tears.
On second thought, the scariest thing about this movie is that the original novel was followed by more horticultural horror sequels, ''Petals on the Wind,'' ''If There Be Thorns'' ''Seeds of Yesterday'' and ''Garden of Shadows.'' to name but a few.
Could there still be bitter fruit to come? . . .Now that's the REAL horror!
Movie Review: absolutely great
Summary: 5 Stars
The only people criticizing this movie are those that read the book and feel that the movie came up short in comparison. I have news for you- the movie is going to be inferior to the book *every single time* no matter WHAT type of movie it is. Horror, drama, suspense, you name it. The book is going to be better, that's a fact.
That's why whenever you're planning to see a movie version of a book, you better lower your expectations by quite a lot.
With THAT out of the way, Flowers in the Attic is a shocking story. It's about four kids that are forced to live inside an attic while their wicked old grandmother with all her many delightful little mental problems does a below average job taking care of them as she keeps them trapped and unable to leave the house.
The interesting thing about the story is that later on, the kids find a way to free themselves from the room, and the grandmother doesn't seem to care a whole lot about that. But oh BOY- don't have a brother and sister sleeping together in the same bed or all heck will break loose!
The butler is another character in the film. He tries to be scary by never saying a word and walking around with a mean face, but he's just as much of a coward as the grandmother. He's just as heartless too.
There's a spoiler near the end involving one of the kids that shocked me a little. It's shocking because of the mothers reaction to it.
The GREAT storyline twist gradually starts revealing itself near the end involving the mother. I didn't see THAT coming. I'll leave it at that.
Great suspense, interesting storyline, magnificent acting by all four of the children, and just a great little movie. I don't know how I missed it back in the late 80's.
Movie Review: VERY GOOD MOVIE, but if you are having DVD quality issues read my review.
Summary: 5 Stars
If you are having troubles with the quality of DVD you might have a different version put out by a different studio then the one on this page. The bad copy was put out by "Top Ten New Media". The cover of their version is NOT the same cover as this DVD. Please note that its a HORRIFIC version so make sure you do not order their copy! It shouldn't even be on the market the quality is so bad. I just ordered Anchor Bay's version (the one on this page) which is a better copy.
About the movie.... Very well cast and put together. I truly love it and has been one of my all time favorites since I first saw it years ago. There is no other like it, its very unique and moving. The soundtrack is just as moving and wonderful. It was written by Christopher Young. Please see my review for that item.
If you are expecting it to be just like the book you will be disappointed. Its not just like the book but what movie about a book is? V.C Andrews herself is in this movie as well, she is washing a window at the grandmothers house in the beginning. She approved of the script and the movie which makes it even better for me. Ive loved this movie for a long time and will continue to watch it as well as enjoy the book.
Movie Review: WE GET IT... NOW GIVE IT A REST!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Ok, now I understand that alot of the people who read the book first and then watched the movie were dissapointed; as the movie was not like the book at all. That being said, the movie is what made me want to read the book. I'll be the first to say that the book and its series are excellent, but I love the movie too. This movie came out when I was seven years old and it terrified me and made me cry (poor Cory). At the age of seven, I was so enraged at their mother's behavior I wanted to break the television set. Even today in my late 20s, I still find myself wanting to inflict damage on my TV. Both the book and the movie stirred up sadness, anger, and bewilderment at how people who you trust and who are supposed to love you can behave in such a callous and hateful way. In my opinion, I think both the book and the movie succeeded in bringing out these emotions. So for those who are bias and in favor of the book, sit down and watch the movie again and see how it makes you feel. Maybe you'll find you kinda like it.