Movie spotlight
Flowers in the Attic
After the death of her husband, a mother takes her kids off to live with their grandparents in a huge, decrepit old mansion. However, the kids are kept hidden in a room just below the attic, visited only by their mother who becomes less and less concerned about them and their failing health, and more concerned about herself and the inheritence she plans to win back from her dying father.
Insights
Plot Summary
The Dollanganger children are confined to an attic by their mother and grandmother after their father's death. Their mother's sole focus becomes securing a wealthy inheritance from her dying father. As their confinement continues, the children face abuse, neglect, and the psychological toll of their isolation, all while yearning for freedom and a normal life.
Critical Reception
Flowers in the Attic (1987) was met with largely negative reviews from critics but found a cult following among audiences, particularly for its sensationalist and melodramatic themes. While some found it compellingly trashy, others criticized its exploitative nature and uneven pacing.
What Reviewers Say
Praised for its Gothic atmosphere and melodramatic tension.
Criticized for its shocking and often gratuitous subject matter.
Considered a cult classic for its campy execution and enduring notoriety.
Google audience: Audience reviews often highlight the film's disturbing premise and its ability to be both repelling and captivating. Many appreciate its unique, albeit dark, storytelling and its cult status, while others express discomfort with the themes explored.
Awards & Accolades
None notable.
Fun Fact
The 1987 film adaptation was the first of V.C. Andrews' novels to be adapted into a film, though it deviated significantly from the book's plot and tone in some aspects.
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