Originally conceived as a Broadway musical inspired by a quirky 1960s B-movie, Little Shop of Horrors captivated audiences across the globe. In 1986, the iconic story made its way to the silver screen, brought to life by the visionary puppeteer Frank Oz. It featured a compelling screenplay by Howard Ashman and unforgettable music by the legendary Alan Menken. This darkly delightful and infectiously entertaining movie takes viewers on an unforgettable journey, leaving an indelible mark long after the credits roll.
On the streets of Skid Road, a plant enthusiast named Seymour (Rick Moranis) works at a failing plant business run by Mr. Mushnik (Vincent Gardenia). Seymour however suggests putting an interesting plant he found at a local Chinese shop in the window cell to possibly attract attention. He calls the planet Audrey II (Levi Stubbs) who is named after Seymour’s crush and co-worker Audrey (Ellen Greene). Sure enough, the plant in the window gets a lot of attention from customers and business starts to boom. However, the plant is no ordinary plant as it feeds off of human blood instead of water. Seymour uses as much of his blood as he can to feed the plant but the plant only gets bigger and bigger and it even starts to demand more blood which freaks out Seymour. Now Seymour finds himself going to extreme lengths to feed the plant while maintaining his popularity of being the owner of a mysterious plant.
The Story of the film is a good indicator of whether this is the right tone and style to engage you. The film adopts a very campy and even silly tone while also having a sinister dark edge that is just right for a horror musical. Everything is paced out just like a Broadway musical, with song sequences and talkative scenes that are balanced so well that it never feels like one element overtakes another. It knows that it is a campy movie, but it never goes too far as many calmer and subtle scenes help the audience wind down after a very high-octane moment. Aside from being campy, this movie also has romantic elements with Seymour and Audrey which are just too charming to resist. I also credit that the movie deals with topics such as capitalism and human value without being too on the nose with its messaging. The horror aspect isn’t actually all that scary as many of the film’s “horrific” moments are portrayed as very silly and absurd but that is alright for this movie cause it Honestly, the only thing that keeps this movie from being absolutely perfect for me is the ending. In fact, there are two different shot endings for this movie. The movie has two endings: the director’s cut and the theatrical ending. I find both endings have their pros and cons, and it's hard for me to pick a favorite. Regardless of the ending, the movie is still worth watching because everything else is on point and highly entertaining.
The Characters are just like everything else in this movie. They are bombastic, silly, wild, and larger-than-life personas. There were many big names of the time that plague the cast of this movie and they include Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, and Steve Martian. Even the small side characters like John Candy and Bill Murry make impressionable cameos and their short time on screen does not go unnoticed. You can tell that all the characters are having a lot of fun in their respective roles and that kind of energy is great for getting the audience invested in the wacky shenanigans that happen during the story. I was surprised by Rick Moranis' singing as Seymour. Ellen Greene played a likable Audrey with a beautiful voice. Even Steve Martin's over-the-top character fits the tone of the story well, and I’m not usually a fan when Martin gives an over the top performance in a film when he doesn’t need to. The three singing girls, Crystal Ronette and Chiffon act as the singers who introduce or jump into any song sequence in this movie which is both fun and keeps the energy of the movie consistent and engaging. The true breakout character of the movie is not even human, it is the bloodthirsty killer plant voiced by Levi Stu, Audrey II. In the movie, Audrey II, the main villain, absolutely nails it. His personality exudes so much class and sinister motives that he could give Oogie Boogie from The Nightmare Before Christmas a run for his money. The movie would almost feel incomplete without him, so it's great that they cast someone talented to have fun playing the role of the villain. These characters represent the ones in the Broadway show extraordinarily well. Director Frank Oz made excellent choices in selecting both popular and competent actors who knew what they were doing.
The Cinematography matches the ambition of the campy style and tone this movie sets out to achieve. The film is based on a Broadway play, so it's fitting that the cinematography reflects that feel. However, the sets and locations have been upgraded to feel like actual three-dimensional places that you can walk around in. Skid Row is depicted as a rundown New York setting with everything looking drab, featuring broken windows and rusty buildings. The choreographed musical numbers are a lot of fun and allow the film to be inventive with funky camera angles and creative uses of puppetry, such as showing the inside of a person’s mouth during the Dentist song that Steve Martin sings. The biggest visual feat of the movie is the puppetry of the killer plant, Audrey II. Starting as a small plant, it eventually grows into a giant bloodthirsty killer that looks convincing as a puppet. Director Frank Oz's expertise in handling puppets ensures that the plant is as lively as possible. Keep in mind that there was little to no CGI during the '80s. To sync the plant with the song sequences, the scenes with the actors were filmed in slow motion and then sped up to make the plant feel alive and active. These visuals are so good that they hold up all these years later to the point that they might even be timeless, which is such an accomplishment for a movie crafted in the 1980s.
The Music is taken from the Broadway play of the same name and the songs were created by Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman who need no introduction as you most likely know their work for writing songs for Disney Renaissance Classics such as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin. The filmmakers' decision to have a renowned composer and songwriter create the soundtrack really paid off. Almost all the songs are lively, catchy, and memorable. Standout tracks include "Dentist," "Feed Me," and "Suddenly Seymour." The movie selected the most popular songs from the Broadway musical and added only one new song, "Mean Green Mother from Outer Space." It's almost unnecessary to say, but Menken and Ashman did an exceptional job with this movie, just as they did with the Broadway show.
Little Shop of Horrors" has carved out a special place in my heart, thanks to its unforgettable musical numbers, delightfully kitschy direction, and a cast of characters that are as endearing as they are detestable. The conclusion of the movie is a bit of a conundrum for me, as there are two different versions, each vying for my preference. Despite this, the contributions of Frank Oz, Alan Meken, Rick Moranis, and many others have transformed this cinematic adaptation into an iconic rendition of one of Broadway's most beloved productions. It exemplifies the perfect convergence of talent, timing, and creativity to produce something truly extraordinary and enduring.
(Final Grade: A)