Lifetime's VC Andrews Movies Topic (Flowers In The Attic, The Dollangangers, The Casteels, etc) - General Discussion

[Snow Apple]

 

I was cracking up that Bart scratched out everyone's faces in the family portrait and then left the frame askew but on the wall. That whole scene in the chapel was ridiculous between the creepy kneeling, Bart holding a knife to Cathy, 

 

Was I the only one thinking "Oh god. Please don't kiss your mom" during that scene?

[Avaleigh]

Hilarious dialogue from Jory: "The doctors say I may never function...sexually again." I laughed so hard at the terrible line as long as the actor's terrible line reading. He and the actress playing Melodie were so terrible. Their performances were Soap Opera 101, like Joey Tribbiani style. Her acting out started horrible and got even worse when she started crying after Jory's accident. Her most hilarious line was "It's been so long since I've had a man inside me."

Omg, this. Lots of laughter over here during those scenes but especially Melody and Bart having sex. 

 

Sadly, Jason Lewis is also really bad. Half the time he sounded like he was reading a shopping list for all the emotion and interest he put into it. 

I didn't realize that Jason Lewis couldn't act. I thought he was playing a bad actor on Sex in the City and chalked other things up to weak dialogue or whatever, but he really isn't a good actor. He basically has a range of about three expressions. Very good looking though. 

[andromeda331]

Was I the only one thinking "Oh god. Please don't kiss your mom" during that scene?

 

 

No, you weren't the only one. The whole scene had that vive from telling his mom to take off her shirt and then when she was kneeling in front of him I thought he was going to ask her for a bj.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I was afraid there was going to be a mom/son BJ in the church too which was all kinds of wrong. You know things are weird when you are relieved that it just turns out to be a crazy son trying to stab his mom before his brother flies out of his wheelchair to stop him.

 

Hilarious dialogue from Jory: "The doctors say I may never function...sexually again."

I just realized that one of the reasons I found that line so hilarious is that it sounded like something out of an intentionally terrible SNL skit.

[andromeda331]

I just realized that one of the reasons I found that line so hilarious is that it sounded like something out of an intentionally terrible SNL skit.

 

It reminded me of soaps their always using that line. Whether the man is in a car accident, has cancer or plane crash he will nearly always end up fine...except for that part. The way he said so dramatically and with the pause "The Doctors say I May Never Function....Sexually again. How that one part managed to get damaged so much and in so many different ways I have no idea.

[StaceyNotStacie]

The third book in the Christopher Diaries was released yesterday.  

Once again, it was from the POV of a teenaged girl, who resented Cory's being in the house (her brother died the same day that Cory was found in the ER).  Although Cory was a character in the story, he was more of a minor character.  I didn't care for the first two books in the Christopher Diaries series.  This one was a little bit better and if they disregarded the first two books, I wouldn't mind seeing it as another movie in the FITA series.  My only disappointment is that this seems to be the last book in the series, so we won't get any idea of Cory's new life (I would have liked to have seen a little bit of his life as a teenager and adult).

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Thanks for reporting back about the new book. How is this considered part of Christopher's Diaries if it's all about

Cory being alive since Christopher didn't know he was alive? I still can't believe that this is what the ghost writer came up with.

[StaceyNotStacie]

Thanks for reporting back about the new book. How is this considered part of Christopher's Diaries if it's all about

Cory being alive since Christopher didn't know he was alive? I still can't believe that this is what the ghost writer came up with.

 

The girl in the first two books was the daughter of someone who was rebuilding Foxworth Hall after the second fire.  She was also distantly related to the Foxworths through her deceased mother.  She found the diary when exploring the grounds one day with her father. Her father was not happy with her reading the diary.  Anyways, Kristen and her boyfriend decided to return the diary to Christopher, who she thought was still alive.  The person overseeing the restoration of the home (which they requested be rebuilt without an attic) was a psychiatrist who treated Corinne.  I think he was also treating Cory, who was known by the name given to him by his "adoptive" family.  He was in a wheelchair, but seemed to live a somewhat "normal" life with a wife and family.  I don't think Cory had very many memories of his past. 

 

All of that was in the first two books.  In the third book, they went back to the night where Cory was abandoned at the hospital and the grandson of the man who took him in died because of a drunk driver, and told the story of his recuperation until they found out who he was.  It ended with the girl and her grandfather discussing whether or not they should contact the police and return him to his family.  If they disregarded the first two books, the third book could easily be made into a movie telling Cory's side of the story. I'm just disappointed that this is most likely the last book in the series and they won't tell the story of Cory as a teen or adult.

[StaceyNotStacie]

Thanks for reporting back about the new book. How is this considered part of Christopher's Diaries if it's all about

Cory being alive since Christopher didn't know he was alive? I still can't believe that this is what the ghost writer came up with.

 

The girl in the first two books was the daughter of someone who was rebuilding Foxworth Hall after the second fire.  She was also distantly related to the Foxworths through her deceased mother.  She found the diary when exploring the grounds one day with her father. Her father was not happy with her reading the diary.  Anyways, Kristen and her boyfriend decided to return the diary to Christopher, who she thought was still alive.  The person overseeing the restoration of the home (which they requested be rebuilt without an attic) was a psychiatrist who treated Corinne.  I think he was also treating Cory, who was known by the name given to him by his "adoptive" family.  He was in a wheelchair, but seemed to live a somewhat "normal" life with a wife and family.  I don't think Cory had very many memories of his past. 

 

All of that was in the first two books.  In the third book, they went back to the night where Cory was abandoned at the hospital and the grandson of the man who took him in died because of a drunk driver, and told the story of his recuperation until they found out who he was.  It ended with the girl and her grandfather discussing whether or not they should contact the police and return him to his family.  If they disregarded the first two books, the third book could easily be made into a movie telling Cory's side of the story. I'm just disappointed that this is most likely the last book in the series and they won't tell the story of Cory as a teen or adult.

[editorgrrl]

LMN in showing all four films right now, then running the last two again.

[Snow Apple]

My Sweet Audrina to air in 2016. I feel excitement and dread. Am I just setting myself up for disappointment hoping it's a mini-series instead of a two hour movie? How are they going to cram all those years into two hours (plus commercials?)

[Avaleigh]

Oh, My Sweet Audrina is going to be a total train wreck. I'm looking forward to it. Anybody have any casting hopes? I'm thinking about who should play Damian. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Ha, excitement and dread is the perfect description. I LOVED My Sweet Audrina so I am excited they are doing a mini series (instead of trying to cram the entire book into a two hour movie) but totally dreading how they are going to screw it all up. But I really can't wait to see how they portray chameleon hair. Ooh and are they going to have the sex on Audrina's grave scene? That always grossed me out.

 

The weird thing is that even though I like this book, I loathe Arden. He one of the worst romantic leads in the original VC Andrews books. "So sorry I was fucking your sister and I was going to pull the plug on you AND I never told you that I watched you being raped. But I love you! Don't go!" My least favorite thing about this book is the ending. If Lifetime is going to change anything, let it be that last page. Drive away, Audrina!

[Avaleigh]

Arden makes Logan and Chris both look like Prince Charming. 

 

There's no way we're getting Audrina's magic hair. (Thank you CasteelKidsStoleMyGroceries blogger!) Cathy had the magic hair too but not one of the actresses had it. 

 

I'm already dreading Vera. Of all of the horrible sisters in Andrewsland Vera was by far the worst. She made Fanny look like Amy March in comparison lol. 

 

They'd better keep teatime. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Casting news!

 

Audrina - India Eisley (The Secret Life of the American Teenager)

Damian - James Tupper (Revenge)

Arden - William Moseley (The Royals)

 

And according to IMDB (so take this all with a grain of salt for the time being), these other cast members:

Lucky - Kirsten Robek (Hell on Wheels)

Vera - Tess Atkins

Audrina (9 years old) - ImogenTear

Audrina (12 years old) - Farryn VanHumbeck (that's a hell of a name!)

Arden (15 years old) - Seth Isaac Johnson (The Killing)

 

Sorry, but David Clarke does not have the gravitas to pull of someone as sinister/threatening yet charming as Damian Adare. I have never watched The Royals but this William Moseley guy does nothing for me in his IMDB picture. I always thought Arden would be a pretty boy but in a boy next door kind of way, like Chris O'Donnell. Now that I think about it, Chris O'Donnell isn't a good example. I thought Arden would be more bland looking, like not unattractive or super hot, but who would look attractive to a younger girl because he looked bland and safe. Ha, okay, the more I describe him, the less of a pretty boy he seems to be in my head.

[Snow Apple]

William Moseley? As in the oldest brother in The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe? Hmmmmm. I'll have to think about that.

 

 

There's no way we're getting Audrina's magic hair. (Thank you CasteelKidsStoleMyGroceries blogger!) Cathy had the magic hair too but not one of the actresses had it. 

At least Cathy just had magic blond hair. Audrina's is the magic of every color in the rainbow, plus secondary colors.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Between the chameleon hair and the kaleidoscope colors in the cupola, I think the entire house was covered in rainbows. Sad rainbows, of course.

[Amtosbm]

I wonder if this means that India won't be in the next Underworld Movie?  I kind of liked her Eve but then I liked Michael and haven't seen him in two movies now. 

 

I am having a hard time remembering the plot of My Sweet Audrina but I will never forget being twelve and reading about a nine year old being raped. It was eye opening and kind of turned me off the whole novel. I do remember that Audrina was brainwashed, This should be interesting to see on film.

 

I am hoping we get the Heaven books next.

 

Just to go back - I finally saw  Petals on the Wind and those of you saying Bart (James Maslow)  was hot were not lying. Wow and he could actually act.  I usually don't like beards but man could that actor wear one well. I hope he shows up in a tv series someday. I always kind of thought Bart had a thing for Cindy in the books but I have to say I was sorry about that because movie Cindy was hugely annoying. I hated her. The acting was bad but then I used to watch soaps relegiously so I am veteran of watching bad acting. The movies were mostly good fun but I really wish they had casted a bit better.  Will see how Audrina turns out

Edited July 19, 2015 by Amtosbm

[Bill C.]

I just made it through If There Be Thorns and Seeds Of Yesterday earlier...is it me or does the overall schlock level actually go down over the entire series, if admittedly with a hell of a bump back up by about a third of the way into Seeds?  (And I'm kind of surprised they made Melodie a bit more of a proactive screwup in that movie versus the book, AIUI.)  And Seeds also seemed to have some pacing issues; it needed to be longer to let certain things progress more naturally, like the whole Bart/Cindy thing.  OTOH, I won't even lie: y'all were looking thirsty at James Maslow admittedly rocking the scruff and eating the scenery, I was looking thirsty at Sammi Hanratty in that red dress.

 

As for the now-confirmed My Sweet Audrina: all I know of it at this point from y'all is "closeted young girl with world-saving hair," so I'm not sure what to think yet.

[andromeda331]

The weird thing is that even though I like this book, I loathe Arden. He one of the worst romantic leads in the original VC Andrews books. "So sorry I was fucking your sister and I was going to pull the plug on you AND I never told you that I watched you being raped. But I love you! Don't go!" My least favorite thing about this book is the ending. If Lifetime is going to change anything, let it be that last page. Drive away, Audrina!

 

I love-hate that book I hate Arden for all of the reasons you listed. And his whining

about her being weird about sex. As if he doesn't know why she has issues.  Why

are we suppose to root for Audrina to  end up with him? I was rooting for her to

murder him violently, or someone I know Audrina's too sweet to be a murderer.

Maybe Sylvia could have shoved down the stairs too but that's still too kind of a

death for him. I hated the ending too. She should have driven away. Or ran him

over with car and her father too. I hope they change the ending or make it better. 

Although I loved Audrina, Sylvia was my favorite character. Mostly because of her

shoving people down the stairs, that was kind of awesome.

 

I liked Michael and haven't seen him in two movies now. No he hasn't I don't know

whether to be sad because I liked him or find it hilarious that one half of the couple

is never on screen.    

Edited July 19, 2015 by andromeda331

[Maharincess]

I just made it through If There Be Thorns and Seeds Of Yesterday earlier...is it me or does the overall schlock level actually go down over the entire series, if admittedly with a hell of a bump back up by about a third of the way into Seeds? (And I'm kind of surprised they made Melodie a bit more of a proactive screwup in that movie versus the book, AIUI.) And Seeds also seemed to have some pacing issues; it needed to be longer to let certain things progress more naturally, like the whole Bart/Cindy thing. OTOH, I won't even lie: y'all were looking thirsty at James Maslow admittedly rocking the scruff and eating the scenery, I was looking thirsty at Sammi Hanratty in that red dress.

As for the now-confirmed My Sweet Audrina: all I know of it at this point from y'all is "closeted young girl with world-saving hair," so I'm not sure what to think yet.

What is AIUI?

Electric Boogaloo Is Audrina for sure going to be a mini series?

I wish all of the Flowers movies had been a mini series instead of the choppy 2 hour movies they did.

Edited July 19, 2015 by Maharincess

[Bill C.]

AIUI is short for "as I understand it."

 

And going off the original announcement of the Audrina project it's going to be a regular TVM, though that doesn't mean Lifetime couldn't change its mind later.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I double checked and one of the articles said that Lifetime had still not announced if My Sweet Audrina will be a movie or a mini series. I thought someone had posted earlier that it would be a mini series but apparently I just got overly excited. I really hope that at the very least it will be a two part mini series. There is just so much to cram into a 2 hour movie (which is really only 80 minutes without commercials).

And I agree that we need tea time with Aunt Mercy! I know it's not integral to the plot but it does show how crazy and mean they were when they let loose.

[Avaleigh]

I can't even remember exactly what the deal was with Silvia. Was she deliberately evil? I want to say that she might have killed Arden's mother but I can't recall. She used some light mirror trick or something like that, right? Was there something about how maybe she was a lot more intelligent than they gave her credit for? 

 

As far as creepy fathers in Andrewsland I think that Damian is possibly even more disturbing than Tony Tatterton and that's one hell of a feat. 

 

When it comes to canon V.C. Andrews I think that Audrina is easily the darkest and most disturbing book and it doesn't even have any actual incest. I wonder if Andrews thought of her book as having a happy ending? 

 

Was the Dollanganger series a success ratings wise? Is there reason to hope that we could get the Casteel series? I actually think that these books would work better as stand alone movies than the Foxworth/Dollanganger series. 

 

Troy is going to be a tall casting order. He's easily the cream of the crop when it comes to men in Andrewsland. All of the names that come to mind for me would never do a Lifetime movie or are probably too old. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I can't even remember exactly what the deal was with Silvia. Was she deliberately evil? I want to say that she might have killed Arden's mother but I can't recall. She used some light mirror trick or something like that, right? Was there something about how maybe she was a lot more intelligent than they gave her credit for?

Sylvia had some crystals that she kept in her pocket but Vera is the one who killed Billie by pushing her down the stairs. She then blamed Sylvia by telling the police about Sylvia's crystals. The police ruled it an accident (just as they ruled Vera's mother's death an accident). Just before Vera died, she confessed to pushing both her mother and Billie down the stairs.

[Avaleigh]

I wonder if they're going to include the creepy teacher character? He was kind of Paul-ish and Paul ended up being cut. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I think they will, if only to demonstrate what a skank Vera is and what a pure virginal angel Audrina is in contrast. Vera got knocked up by the piano teacher while chaste Audrina was oblivious to the fact that he thought she was pretty.

[Avaleigh]

My other hope is that they go all out with the house. Foxworth Hall was totally disappointing in both adaptations.

 

I want the creep factor cranked to 11. 

[Snow Apple]

Anyone see the movie trailer for Crimson Peak? That house is how I imagined Audrina's house. The rest of the trailer has a V.C. Andrews vibe to it too. A character actually says "We were confined to the nursery. In the attic." Yeah. I'm so watching.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

ITA that Foxworth Hall was a huge disappointment. I pictured this huge majestic estate and it just looked like a larger than usual house with kind of small rooms. I really hope Whitefern is as Gothic onscreen as it was described in the book. I need the Victorian house with the peeling white paint and the cupola with stained glass windows.

[andromeda331]

As far as creepy fathers in Andrewsland I think that Damian is possibly even more disturbing than Tony Tatterton and that's one hell of a feat.

 

Yeah, just when I thought there Tony was the worse, then came Damian. I wonder what

her other books would have been like had she lived. Would there have been someone

even worse then both of them?

Edited July 22, 2015 by andromeda331

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I am not sure who is worse but I guess at least Damian didn't rape his 12 year old stepdaughter, pretend she liked it, and then try to rape his granddaughter. That has to be worth something (and I say that as someone who loathes both Tony and Damian).

[TattleTeeny]

The third book in the Christopher Diaries was released yesterday.  

Once again, it was from the POV of a teenaged girl, who resented Cory's being in the house (her brother died the same day that Cory was found in the ER).  Although Cory was a character in the story, he was more of a minor character.  I didn't care for the first two books in the Christopher Diaries series.  This one was a little bit better and if they disregarded the first two books, I wouldn't mind seeing it as another movie in the FITA series.  My only disappointment is that this seems to be the last book in the series, so we won't get any idea of Cory's new life (I would have liked to have seen a little bit of his life as a teenager and adult).

I read this at work yesterday (I was bored). Aside from far less FitA material than I would have liked, it made me sad!

That protagonist was so insensitive about Cory! I know she was understandably heartbroken about her brother and all and that she came around in the end, but to be so cold about a little boy who was treated so badly! Awww, I just felt so bad.

All in all though, it was not very well written, not that I expected it to be. I guess it was entertaining enough but, again, too much about unrelated stuff. 

[Daisy]

I wonder if this means that India won't be in the next Underworld Movie?  I kind of liked her Eve but then I liked Michael and haven't seen him in two movies now. 

 

I am having a hard time remembering the plot of My Sweet Audrina but I will never forget being twelve and reading about a nine year old being raped. It was eye opening and kind of turned me off the whole novel. I do remember that Audrina was brainwashed, This should be interesting to see on film.

 

I am hoping we get the Heaven books next.

 

Just to go back - I finally saw  Petals on the Wind and those of you saying Bart (James Maslow)  was hot were not lying. Wow and he could actually act.  I usually don't like beards but man could that actor wear one well. I hope he shows up in a tv series someday. I always kind of thought Bart had a thing for Cindy in the books but I have to say I was sorry about that because movie Cindy was hugely annoying. I hated her. The acting was bad but then I used to watch soaps relegiously so I am veteran of watching bad acting. The movies were mostly good fun but I really wish they had casted a bit better.  Will see how Audrina turns out

 

 

That's my hope too. The Heaven series was my favourite (which is hilarious because I loathe Heaven. I think that's what made the books so great. Like I loved the Casteels but Heaven was just this uppity beeotch, who has some amazing moments). I would also love to see the Cutlers done, which I always enjoyed. I am kinda meh on the Landry series (I feel that's when the ghostwriter really started to drop the ball) and then that Series in Maine was just the death in what I loved about the  VC Andrews world.

 

I am excited/dreadful about Audrina too. it was an amazing book (and put me on team loathe Arden as well)

Edited July 26, 2015 by Daisy

[Queena]

MSA movie comes on January 2016. There's also a sequel in the making, a sequel to the book.

[andromeda331]

I am excited/dreadful about Audrina too. it was an amazing book (and put me on team loathe Arden as well)

Me too for all of the above. I am excited about the movie but dread its going to be awful. I loved the

book and I hate Arden. If they make him as horrible as he was in the book Audrina better not end

up with him. Now if he ends up among the ones shoved down the stairs...

 

I loved the Heaven series and Cutlers but Flowers in the Attic will always be my favorite. My

problem with Heaven and the other heroines is they don't really do anything. I loved Cathy

because even when she's getting whipped by her grandmother, she's vowing one day

to whip Olivia. And she does.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

MSA movie comes on January 2016. There's also a sequel in the making, a sequel to the book.

Ugh, that sequel is completely unnecessary. Or hey, I will write a one sentence sequel: Audrina leaves Arden and goes on to live a happy life without her cheating asshole of a husband or her contol freak father to screw with her head anymore. The end!

[JAYJAY1979]

Maybe since the book is so vast..maybe they are doing two different movies covering the book?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Unfortunately, the sequel is a book that the ghost writer said he is working on. I would have been totally fine with a two part movie or multipart miniseries for Audrina though!

[Queena]

I hope that Heaven is the next movie. I must admit that when I read the books after 35, Heaven annoyed me. I'm not even going to get on Annie. Heaven holds a special place in my heart because that was the very first "adult" book that I read as a child. Just as I'll always remember my Mom reading FITA.

I'm so sick of 30 year later sequels. Adurina has to be in her 60's now. I too hope that she's left Arden. I wonder how Sylvia will be portrayed in the movie.

[CeeBeeGee]

There are so many things like that in all of VC's books! Some chick is always beating someone's chest with "ineffectual small fists" and then there's the ubiquitous, " 'YOU!' she spat," usually by whomever is the bitchy, bitter antagonist. Oh, and everyone saunters about in a "filmy negligee," haha!

 

Classic Southern Gothic!

 

What about Garden of Shadows? I would love to see the lady who played the Grandmother as the Grandmother agin. She was one of the best things about the remake. Garden of Shadows was very good compared to every book after POTW. I dread watching that little shit Bart, but I'm V.C. bitch, and have been so every since I saw my Mom reading FITA. I wilk endure that little shit Bart, but I will need outside help, and commentary.

 

Garden of Shadows was AWESOME after the snoozefest that was ITBT. I literally screamed when I realized--and it wasn't a huge dramatic reveal, the realization very gradually came into place--that Corrine and Christopher sr. were much more than 1/2 uncle and 1/2 niece. Brilliantly developed.

I hated how Corrine still acted kind of evil(ish) in the movie, like threatening Chris. And what's with her sexy get up? In the book, she was a regretful old woman and looked it. She also died saving Cathy at the end. The movie took away that one act of finally saving one of her children.

 

Yes! Hated that Corrine was STILL a conniving evil mother at the end--in the book she was genuinely remorseful and accepted the blame for her actions. In other words, character growth--what a concept.

 

Maybe everyone is so damaged from being locked up that they simply cannot bear to close doors anymore!

 

I literally LOLed at that.

[Queena]

MSA Comes on in exactly 1 month! January 9th is the premiere date. I can't wait to see how much Lifetime messes up one of the most creepy stories told by the original V.C. Andrews!

[PinkRibbons]

MSA Comes on in exactly 1 month! January 9th is the premiere date. I can't wait to see how much Lifetime messes up one of the most creepy stories told by the original V.C. Andrews!

 

I've been searching youtube for a trailer every day for months. I've only read a few chapters in but if they do it any justice this looks like it's going to be the most fun hot mess we've had since FitA came out. In fact I think I'll start a new thread for it now...

[PinkRibbons]

Coming at us on January 9th, 2016!

 

From IMDB:
 

Living in her family's secluded mansion, Audrina is kept alone and out of sight and is haunted by nightmares of her older sister, First Audrina, who was left for dead in the woods after an attack. As she begins to question her past and her disturbing dreams, the grim truth is slowly revealed.

 

I've only read a little ways through the book but from what I've heard people say, this is going to be fabulously messed-up. I can hardly wait!!!

[Queena]

Thank you! I can't wait! I may reread the book for the 1000th time. It's spectacularly crappy.

Edited December 9, 2015 by Queena

[hendersonrocks]

OMG OMG OMG OMG. Spectacularly crappy, indeed - and I cannot *wait* to see how Lifetime makes a spectacularly crappy version of it.

 

I read this so many times as a pre-teen. If my mother only knew.

[Luckylyn]

I don't know if the movie can capture the crazy of the book exactly right.  All I ask is that Lifetime change the ending.    This is one case where I don't want the adaptation to be faithful to the book.  That ending is one of the worst I've ever read.  It pissed me off so much.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

ITA - the end of the book is awesome, right until the last two pages. Run, girl!

[exodia]

Promo is out

[PinkRibbons]

Thanks for sharing!!!

 

Creeepy! I'll try to edit it into the first post when it hits youtube.