Flowers in the Attic (1987)

Toilet Review: Slightly depressing, more than slightly depressing. Saddening. Now I’m sad. Good job, movie!

After I watched this movie, I got into an argument with my husband. He decided that this movie was a horror movie, whilst I disagreed entirely. This is more a thriller movie in my opinion. We clashed about it, and spent hours debating both sides. I concede that this movie certainly does have horror “elements” in it, I would state that a horror movie is a movie in which the entire premise of it is that it is designed to scare the audience. This movie doesn’t do that. This movie merely presents its argument and let’s you make up your own mind about what happened.

The movie is told from Cathy’s point of view. She is the eldest of four children. Her brother, Chris is almost the same age as her, and her two younger siblings, Cory and Carrie are much younger than her. She is a teenager, whilst they are about 4 or 5. They appear to be the all American loving family, but when Cathy’s father passes away unexpectedly, her mother moves the family back to her childhood home, which she left in disgrace. Her father is now gravely ill, and Cathy’s mother wants to get into his will, and will do anything to make up for her disgrace. Her mother does not want the children in the house, so locks them into a room. There they find access to the attic, and live their days out. They have periodic visits from their mother, but soon it becomes clear that she does not want to see them and that they are merely a hindrance. Can they survive or will they perish in the dark?

This is one of those movies that nearly always seems to be on television at some point. I know that my mother in law loves it and has seen it numerous times on random tv channels. I believe that there is a remake in the works as well, no doubt it will be much more violent and heart wrenching than this one.

Maybe watch this one rainy Tuesday evening when you are ill and are too tired to reach for the remote.