Coming to Lifetime is a matter of weeks is a new adaptation of V.C. Andrews’ novel Flowers in the Attic. In an effort to spread some Christmas discomfort and remind fans that the Grandmother is on the way, Lifetime shared the above image on their Facebook page last night, which shows Ellen Burstyn looking less than jolly as the Grandmother, meme’d up with the phrase “Only gives a stocking so she can fill it with coal.” (More like tar, am I right Flowers fans?). Lifetime also posted a new trailer yesterday. Check it out below:
By comparison to the previously released trailer, the above video adds on a bit more introduction, beginning with a narration — presumably by Cathy — talking about her unforgettable childhood, as we see an empty bedroom. Cut to the birthday party, which takes place near the start of the story and ends in tragedy, as Corrine (Heather Graham) learns her husband has died. Next, she and her children are on a train headed to Corrine’s wealthy parents house. From there, as far as I can tell, the rest of the footage is what we saw in the original 30-second spot.
Those who’ve read the book know that the bulk of this story is set in a secluded bedroom and the massive attic of a huge Virginia mansion where four kids — Chris (Mason Dye), Cathy (Kiernan Shipka), Cory (Maxwell Kovach) and Carrie (Ava Telek) — are forced to hide away so that their mother can regain her sick father’s favor in hopes of getting written back into his will before he dies. What was supposed to have been days or weeks at the most turns from months to years, as Chris and Cathy become surrogate parents to their small siblings, twins Cory and Carrie. Abuse, neglect and complicated adolescent urges make their situation even harder to deal with.
This may be my optimism speaking, but so far, Lifetime’s trailers and images have me feeling more hopeful than ever that this TV movie will manage to do a much better job at adapting Andrews’ twisted, tragic and emotional story than the 1987 adaptation did. We’ll find out January 18 when Flowers in the Attic airs.
In the meantime, below is the original trailer, along with a gallery of character photos and stills from the movie.
