FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC (1987)

FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC (1987)

Tagline: They have come to a house where secrets are kept....where the future is haunted by the past.....where the innocent live in the shadow of sin.....where a dark legacy awaits to destroy all who defy it.....

(Drama, Thriller, Good Luck At The Worst Parent Awards) [PG-13]

Stop it! You have no right to talk to me like that! Do you think I've had pleasure while my children have been in pain? You are heartless. When you're ready to treat me with love, I'll be back.

Based on the book by V.C. Andrews this one involves a family where the father dies and the mother is left with 4 children to take care of. She decides to take them to her father’s estate where he is expected to pass away soon. The idea is that the mother (simply referred to as Mother), would inherit a large estate, and she and the children would live happily ever after. Instead, the children are kept up in the attic and treated harshly by their grandmother. It soon becomes apparent something else entirely is happening as the children become malnourished and start withering away. Their only chance of survival seems to no longer lie with their mother, but with escaping the estate. 

First off, this is a pretty damn dark flick on its face. I read a book or two from V.C. Andrews in high school, and I remember them all being huge downers. This is no exception, but we are given a wide range of emotions during this film's runtime up to and including “hope”. Once again this is a situation where if you were expecting the book, maybe just don’t even bother watching this. In fact, just stay away from most movies if you think they are going to be like the book. That rarely happens. Might as well just rip that Band-Aid off right now. 

This movie has a character simply referred to as Grandmother, displaying a classic failure to understand the nature of God’s grace. This character is also a reminder that presenting the gospel is not some method of bringing more rules and punishment to the table, but rather bringing to light freedom from sin and wickedness rather than slavery to it. I found it very hard not to have deep empathy for the kid even if the two youngest kids in this movie are slightly annoying. The two older kids Cathy and Chris are at least level-headed, even if they are oddly close for siblings.

I thought the story was actually told pretty well. I didn’t have some of the issues that others did with this, but clearly, most of that seems to be because I wasn’t expecting it to be exactly like the book. The pacing is good, the acting is superb, the sets are exquisite, and it’s all top-notch.

Louise Fletcher (GRIZZLY II: REVENGE) who plays “grandmother” always does a good job of creeping me out and she definitely pulls that off here. Victoria Tennant’s (L.A. STORY) duplicity is haunting and effective as “mother”. Kristy Swanson (BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER) is freakin incredible as usual. Jeb Stuart Adams (THE GOONIES) has a solid outing in this. I really have zero complaints about the cast. 

Overall we get a pretty dark disturbing flick here that, to be honest, I had completely forgotten about and never saw back in the 80’s. Seeing it now as an adult it probably doesn’t have the impact it would have back then, but it does make me thankful that my grandma wasn’t crazy and that my mom had my best interests at heart. I mean what the cow…this thing is nuts. It also serves as a reminder that in spite of how nutty, goofy, weird, and outrageous the 80s were, there were still quite a few gut punches and this was one of those. 

This one gets a 4 out of 7.  It’s a well-made, well-acted film that kind of made me want to throw up, but ended up being worth the watch in the end. Once. Let me be clear on that. I won’t be watching this again. 

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