by Frank Calvillo
One of the most controversial and widely-read bestselling book series proved just as popular as ever and gave a long-time basic cable network a huge spike in popularity with Lifetime’s handsome reworking of V.C. Andrews’ Flowers in the Attic saga. The four-movie series allowed fans of the novels, as well as those new to the material, the chance to revisit the dark, prominent Foxworth family in all their twisted glory.
This week sees the release of the four-film DVD collection, where fans will now be able to lap up every moment of demented campiness to their heart’s content.
The saga of Flowers in the Attic opens on the perfect Dollanganger family, who are living an idyllic suburban life in the late ’50s. However, once the patriarch of the family dies, teenagers Christopher (Mason Dye) and Cathy (Kiernan Shipka) and twins Carrie (Ava Telek) and Cory (Maxwell Kovach) are taken by their mother Corine (Heather Graham) to her childhood mansion in Virginia to live. Immediately upon arriving, the four children are introduced to their stern grandmother Olivia (Ellen Burstyn), who locks them away in a room at the top of the mansion that leads to an attic. There, the children spend two years under the watchful eye of their overly religious grandmother, who believes her grandchildren to be the devil’s spawn. The children’s time in the attic kick starts a chain of events including murder, incest, and betrayal that ends up lasting for decades.
Flowers in the Attic
The best thing Flowers in the Attic has going for it is its top production values, which are lavish and beautifully gothic. With an assortment of quality camera angles, the look perfectly encapsulates the sensibilities of the original text, in spite of its cheesy introduction and inevitably campy moments. Sadly, because of the camp factor, the story’s psychological anguish barely even registers, especially thanks to a script which includes incestuous undertones in every other line.
On the acting side, the two younger actors are so bland, they don’t even register as real characters, while the older two join the miscast Graham in the campiness. It seems that only Burstyn has the right idea when it comes to approaching the material. The Oscar-winner elevates the proceedings and gives it all generous amounts of credibility, especially in her wise decision to not make her character a complete monster.
Petals on the Wind
In the series’ second installment, Petals on the Wind, the dramatics of the plot are turned up as a grown up Cathy, Christopher, and Carrie, (Rose McIver, Wyatt Nash, and Bailey Buntain) free from the chains of their mother and grandmother, try to lead normal lives, yet find themselves unable to escape the inevitable tragedies that await them.
If Petals on the Wind feels predictable, its only because there isn’t a single soap-filled cliche that goes unused. Plot-wise, the film is only interesting when focusing on the family dynamics, especially those between Corine and Olivia. Does anyone really care about career hopes and romantic entanglements beyond Foxworth Hall?
The new Chris and Cathy feel like replacements on a soap opera; fitting the mold but not rocking the boat by bringing anything new to the table. Meanwhile, its interesting to see Burstyn take Olivia to a different level and it’s a joy to see Graham finally get it right as Corine. The story descends into flat out Dynasty levels by the end, yet feels like a fitting conclusion to the story at this point. One would think…
If There Be Thorns
In If There Be Thorns, the focus is mainly on Bart (Mason Cook), the younger of Cathy’s (Rachel Carpani) two sons, who along with her older son Jory (Jedidiah Goodacre) and Christopher (Jason Lewis) live together far away from the memories caused by the events that happened at Foxworth Hall. When a supposedly reformed Corine buys the dilapidated manor next door with the intent on winning her children back, things take a turn for the worse as Bart begins to uncover his family’s dark history.
The ONLY thing noteworthy about If There Be Thorns is just how freaking over the top it goes. From Bart’s Damien-like transformation to Cathy’s pill-popping, to the discovery about the family secrets, to the literal ripping apart of jewelry, there’s never a single hint of subtlety going on here.
By this point, Graham has descended into full-on parody, but at least she’s having fun playing Corine now and her scenes are never boring. Admittedly, once she arrives, the movie takes a more interesting cat and mouse-like turn. However, kudos must be given to Lewis for treating the material with earnestness, giving a restrained, yet honest performance. It’s much more than this movie deserves quite frankly.
Seeds of Yesterday
The final installment, Seeds of Yesterday seems hell bent on not letting this family be as a 25-year-old Bart (James Maslow) now presides over the newly renovated Foxworth Hall where he has invited the family for his birthday weekend. Once again however, the dark family history and the return of Cathy and Christopher to Foxworth Hall bring forth dire consequences.
There’s simply no reason for the series to exist at this point, and everyone should know by now to just flat out avoid the Foxworth/Dollangnger/Sheffield Clan. So much is wrong with this production including casting choices which are all over the place (no one looks their age) and a creepiness factor which is so old now, it’s just boring.
If the previous movies were Dynasty, this one is The Colbys. There’s not a shred of sincerity throughout the film, but rather the most outlandish type of camp, the pinnacle of which occurs when Bart builds a church at Foxworth Hall and proceeds to baptise/drown Jory’s newborn twins in it. It’s extremely hard to believe anyone is taking it as seriously as they are. However, despite a character ending that is a combination of lunacy and hilarity, the final scene featuring Cathy’s narration proves surprisingly touching.
The Package
A behind-the-scenes making of the first installment, featuring cast and crew interviews, is the sole special feature accompanying the set.
The Lowdown
Fans of the book series will no doubt lap this set up, while those unfamiliar with the original novels will surely find it to be a true guilty pleasure in the tradition of the beloved days of trashy network miniseries.
