FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC

US, 2013, 89 minutes, Colour.
Heather Graham, Ellen Burstyn, Kiernan Shipka, Mason Dye, Ava Telek, Maxwell Kovach, Dylan Bruce.
Directed by Deborah Chow.

Flowers in the Attic is the second version of The V. C. Andrews’ popular novel. It was made in 1987 with Louise Fletcher as the mother and Victoria Tennant as the daughter. It was a very dark film. This time the mother is played by Ellen Burstyn and the daughter is played by Heather Graham.

While the original is dark and sinister, television has a lot of light and colour.

Heather Graham is Corinne, mother of four children, happy with her partner, unmarried. When he dies in an accident, Corinne has to go back to her haughty and religious mother and ask for help. Her father is bedridden, loves his daughter, and is very wealthy. Corinne neglects children, when they are confined to an upper room and an attic by her mother.

The film shows the four children trying to cope, severe visits from their grandmother, gradual neglect by the mother who socialises and eventually marries. One of the children dies of illness. The older children, Cathy and Chris, become attracted to each other and there is incestuous relationship.

Eventually the children are able to escape, go to a bus stop and to different future which is visualised in the film sequel, Petals on the Wind.

1. The popularity of Virginia Andrew’s novels? The original film in the 1980s? This television remake?

2. Brighter colours than the original? The initial sequences with the family, home, the mansion, interiors? Exteriors? The attic?

3. The title, application, the children, imprisoned, the role of flowers? The image of the children as flowers?

4. The initial sequences of the family, happy, the parents, play, work, death of the father?

5. The new situation, options, Corinne and her mother, the decision to move? The poor reception, the grandmother, her lack of generosity, lack of emotion, hostility, relegating the children to the upper room in the attic? The secrets of the house?

6. The children, the rules, in the upper room, the space, the confinement? The meals brought up? View from the window, playing within, the effect on them?

7. Cathy, Christopher, the twins, the different ages, playing? The risk of illness? Corey and his death? The effect on them? Their mutual love, Christopher and his infatuation with Cathy, her response, wariness, the incestuous relationship and its consequences?

8. Corinne, with her mother, her father and his wealth, the background of marriage, the fact that it was not a marriage, the condemnation of Corinne, the naming of the devil’s spawn?

9. Corinne and her visits to the children, getting rarer, dependent on her mother, the other men, her extravagance, the build-up to her marriage, wealth, jewellery?

10. The character of Corinne’s mother, as a person, strict, religion, disliking the children, knowing their secrets, the condemnation of their father and his behaviour?

11. Cathy, Christopher, the determination to go outside, searching, watching the function, seeing their grandfather?

12. The cumulative effect of the two years? The determination to get away? The plans? The success, $30, going to the bus stop? Locking their grandmother, afraid, in the attic?

13. The end of the story – as a prequel to Petals on the Wind?