FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC

US, 1987, 93 minutes, Colour.
Louise Fletcher, Victoria Tennant, Kristy Swanson.
Directed by Jeffrey Bloom.

Flowers in the Attic was adapted from Virginia Andrews' best-selling novel by writer-director Jeffrey Bloom (Blood Beach). He relies on the overtones of American Gothic, atmosphere rather than a lot of explicit violence. However, the film is suggesting many things rather than actually saying or showing them. This raises an ambiguous attitude in the audience. It also means the film may not be as successful as hoped for. Victoria Tennant is glamorous as the mother of the doomed children. Louise Fletcher probably enjoyed herself as the puritanical grandmother. The children themselves do well - they have to carry the emotional burden of the film.

1. Psychological horror? A best-selling novel basis? Adaptation by the writer-director?

2. The opening with the ordinary American household, the transition to American Gothic and the focus on the mansion, outside and inside? The people within the house? The upper room and the attic? Atmosphere? Mania and horror? The atmospheric score?

3. Kathy and the voice-over, her viewpoint on the family, on father and mother, on being locked in the room, on their mother's behaviour? Her strength and decisions?

4. The ordinary situation, an ordinary American home, Kathy’s comments, father coming home and the children hiding, their joy, the father's gift to his daughter? His love for the mother? The 36th. birthday party, the candles, the bad news of the accident?

5. The future of the family: money, support? The grandfather and the need for reconciliation? The credibility of Corinne's behaviour? The mystery about her not having any children from her marriage ? the plausibility of the plot when this clause of the will was revealed?

6. Corinne and her love for her children, travelling, walking from the bus, the home, John and the return home, the grandmother and her stern reception? The children going upstairs? The serious grandmother, the bible, black, jewellery, her rules, locking the door? Setting up the situation?

7. The portrait of the grandmother: dress, jewellery, the bible, her bringing the food, her rules about who was in which bed, the children being the spawn of sin, the grandfather, the whipping of Corinne, the abusing of the children, their turning on her, her continued severity, starving them? The attic? The sick children? Her religious values, Gothic style? The end and her staring from the window?

8. Corinne and her love for her children, coming to visit them, her absences, her happiness when she came, clothes and health, the children sick, the promises about her father's death and the reconciliation, the will? Her talk about money and the fulfilment of all dreams? The children spying on her and discovering the truth? The dance, the engagement? The arsenic and the killing of Cory? her taking him to the hospital, allegedly? The graves? The truth, the children coming to the wedding, her denials, her hurrying and hanging herself?


9. The children in the attic: Chris and his age, wanting to become a doctor, supporting the others, decisions, coping, with Kathy, clothes, the intimacy, Kathy's baths, seriousness, illnesses, doubts about his mother, the escape attempt and the rope, the dogs, in the house and spying on his mother, Cory's death, the end and the confrontation? Kathy and her age, her love for dancing, the gift (and the grandmother breaking it as punishment), the clothes, the attic, bath. the beds. her grandmother's reaction, with the children, on the roof. her strong stances against her mother. the final confrontation? Cory and his sister, young twins, cooped up, their illness, the poisoning. the mouse and the arsenic, Cory's fever and death, the sister surviving?

10. The attic and its contents, their cleaning it, clothes, statues? Enclosed, playing? The passing of the seasons? Illness and poisoning? The exteriors of the house, dogs, the digging of the graves?

11. The grandfather and his dying, the whipping, reconciliation with Corinne, hugging her? Chris and Kathy visiting him, thinking he was dead, his eyes opening? His death and disappearance?

12. The party, the fiance, the children watching? The marriage, the guests, the clergyman, Corinne's impulsiveness?

13. Family, relationships, love and hate, greed? Religion and morality? Righteousness and punishment? The relationships and the incestuous overtones: grandfather and daughter, husband and wife (uncle), brother and sister? The consequences?

14. The future and Kathy's final comments? The effect of this experience on their lives?