Flowers in the Attic

Flowers in the Attic is a 1987 psychological horror film based on V.C. Andrews' 1979 novel of the same name.

It was directed by Jeffrey Bloom and starred Louise Fletcher, Victoria Tennant, Kristy Swanson and Jeb Stuart Adams.

Plot
After the death of Corrine Dollanganger (Victoria Tennant)'s husband, she takes her four kids to live with their grandparents (Louise Fletcher & Nathan Davis) in a huge, old mansion.

But when they get there, the kids are sent to live in a room below the attic by their grandmother, leaving them to fend for themselves. Corrine becomes less concerned about her children and more concerned about getting her dying father's inheritance no matter what, even to the point of murder.

Cast

 * Louise Fletcher as Olivia Foxworth (the grandmother)
 * Victoria Tennant as Corrine Dollanganger (the mother)
 * Kristy Swanson as Cathy Dollanganger
 * Jeb Stuart Adams as Chris Dollanganger
 * Ben Ryan Ganger as Cory Dollanganger
 * Lindsay Parker as Carrie Dollanganger
 * Marshall Colt as Christopher Dollanganger (the father)
 * Nathan Davis as Malcolm Foxworth (the grandfather)
 * Brooke Fries as Flower Girl
 * Alex Koba as John Hall, the butler
 * Leonard Mann as Bart Winslow
 * Bruce Neckels as Minister
 * Gus Peters as Caretaker
 * Clare Peck as Cathy (narrator)
 * V. C. Andrews as Window-washing maid (uncredited)

Pre-Production
V. C. Andrews demanded and, eventually, got a script approval when she sold the film rights to producers Thomas Fries and Sy Levin. She turned down five scripts (the violent and graphic screenplay by Wes Craven was rejected by the producers, though), before choosing the script by Jeffrey Bloom, who would also direct.

Obviously, Bloom's script was the one that was the closest to the novel, but, as he did not have full control over the matter of the film, the numerous producers and the two studios forcefully made changes in the script, thus stripping from it many plot points and themes of the novel, including the incestuous relationship between the oldest siblings.

Bloom said there was a lot of conflict in production, but could do nothing to talk the producers out of the many drastic changes made in the script.

Originally, Bloom wanted David Shire to score the film, but Christopher Young was chosen by the producers instead.