This Special Edition Blu-ray is currently available from Arrow Video.
Enjoy gothic melodrama? If you do, then you might already be familiar with Flowers in the Attic, the film adaptation of the very pulpy 1979 bestseller by V.C. Andrews. Produced by independent production company New World Pictures (owned by Roger Corman), this feature was a box office hit but didn’t earn particularly complimentary reviews during its original release. This week Arrow Video has released an impressive Special Edition Blu-ray of the feature that gives a detailed account the picture and explains all of the issues that plagued the production (many of which this reviewer never knew about). It’s a super disc and those who appreciate the movie’s exaggerated elements will certainly enjoy this edition.
The story involves a very happy family (some might say too affectionate) who face tragedy after the family patriarch dies in a traffic accident. His surviving wife (Victoria Tennant) informs teenage daughter Cathy (Kristy Swanson) and son Chris (Jeb Stuart Adams), as well as infants Cory (Ben Ganger) and Carrie (Lindsay Parker) that they’ll be moving in with their Grandmother (Louise Fletcher). The kid’s mom warns them that their stern relative won’t be a ray of sunshine, but that she’ll soon win the family matriarch over to her side and be able to provide the family the resources and support they need. Of course, this doesn’t happen at all. Their grandmother is horrible, the children are then separated from their parent and forced to live in an attic. As time passes, even mom acts more and more distant towards the kids. The reasons for the family’s strange treatment soon becomes evident as secrets are revealed.
Admittedly, the movie isn’t a masterpiece. It’s far from great, but it is a fun and often over-the-top adaptation of, well, a crazy and over-the-top novel. There is some serious melodrama presented as the kids are abused horribly by their relatives and fight to survive and escape. Fletcher is a great actress who is perhaps most famous for winning an Oscar playing Nurse Ratchet in the classic, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Her character in this picture is even more exaggerated, regularly berating and even striking the kids. There’s no subtlety present here, nor is there anything even remotely kind about her.
Another one of the major background elements that plays out actually involves hints of incest. There’s certainly strange family history revealed and a rather consistent and continuing closeness between Cathy and Chris (including a scene in which one is bathing as their sibling washes their back). Truthfully, there’s nothing explicit presented here between the two characters, and in a strange way the avoidance of dealing with the issue at hand ends up making these elements all the more striking and prominent. Naturally, for many this unexpected behavior will actually result in a few moments of unintentional humor.
Yet that’s what many find fascinating about the picture. As mentioned, there’s not much subtlety present here and the cast, while talented, are forced into delivering some pretty cheesy material. At least the movie manages to embrace these wild and crazy qualities by the close as the children decide to confront their mother and relatives at a very public wedding ceremony (which naturally ends in an appropriately violent and silly manner).
One aspect of the film that is unquestionably strong is the production design and cinematography. I can recall watching the picture on VHS and DVD and thinking that the image was a little soft and grainy. This new Blu-ray changes all that. The picture looks quite crisp and detailed, and the old, enormous and dusty attic rooms filled with strange antiques and musty hallways do make an impression. One can honestly say that the gothic vibe is effectively built upon here and the new disc displays the talent displayed behind the scenes at a level never seen before.
Besides the excellent image quality, there are tons of great extras to pour over as well. Perhaps the most interesting is the original ending that was rejected by the studio. Yes, the ending you see now was not what was initially filmed. In fact, they reshot the climax with a different director. Amazingly, the first version is presented here on the disc for the first time. It’s sourced from old production video and features plenty of wobbles and lines running through the picture, but finally shows what was originally intended. Admittedly, it is a little too low-key and reserved for its own good, but is fascinating to finally witness.
Another plus is a commentary from Kat Ellington, an author and expert on gothic horror who is a fan of the feature and sheds production insights as well as a history of both this flick and the entire subgenre. She’s clearly a fan (admitting that it was one of her introductions to the type of feature) and forgiving of its flaws, but offers of plenty of interesting details about the somewhat troubled production.
Apparently, writer/director Jeffrey Bloom (Blood Beach) had conflicts with the studio who wanted less of a psychological thriller. There are numerous interviews with cast members (Jeb Stuart Adams offers some memories of the shoot) and crew members (including cinematographer Frank Byers, production designer John Muto and composer Christopher Young) who share Bloom’s issues with New World Pictures. Those spoken to thought the screenplay was phenomenal, but state the studio wanted a B-movie horror picture and that various executives undermined the director. Footage detailing the unusual relationship between brother and sister was completely excised and many unfortunate changes were made. There’s also a brief commentary track from the man who directed the revised ending and describes why he felt changes were necessary (and he certainly makes some good points).
The disc also includes fun anecdotes from cast and crew about other personality clashes. Apparently, most were impressed by the young star’s work ethic, while Tennant was described as difficult and not very cooperative. Most surprisingly, everyone on set loved Fletcher, who played one of the film’s most memorable villains. She was extremely helpful, kind and encouraging to everyone on set when the cameras weren’t filming her nasty tirades. And despite the negative critical reception, some of the participants also note that the film was remarkably successful, with Muto suggesting it grossed a hefty profit worldwide against a very slim budget. One imagines they couldn’t figure out why there wasn’t a sequel.
No, this film is not a classic, but the movie does provide pulpy fun for those who enjoy exaggerated and ridiculously pulpy gothic melodrama. No one can say that Flowers in the Attic doesn’t deliver that much in spades. Arrow Video has given the film a great transfer and are presenting it with all kinds of enjoyable extras that will truly inform viewers and help one get a sense of what exactly was going through the minds of those responsible from this amusingly demented little hit. This Special Edition Blu-ray will most certainly please any fans of the feature and encourage them to lock themselves in and pour over all of the extras presented.