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Little Shop of Horrors
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Release Date
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September 18, 2020
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Running Time
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23:16
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Tagline
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The Cinema Snob closes out the month of musical horrors with the 1986 classic Little Shop of Horrors!
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The Cinema Snob: Well, we might as well end the best Musical March in September with one of the best movie musicals ever made, since it has become clear to me that no one is going to make me a musical version of Jennifer!
1986's Little Shop of Horrors stars Rick Moranis as Seymour Krelborn, who makes the terrible mistake of feeding blood and human remains to his talking plant, Audrey II, clearly having never seen the original 1960 film directed by Roger Corman. Though he did see Teenage Caveman, which is why there's no scene of him giving Robert Vaughn blood. In 1982, an off-Broadway musical adaptation was created by composer Alan Menken and writer Howard Ashman. The musical was produced by David Geffen, who also had his sights on producing a big-screen adaptation. The movie version went through a few different names. At one point, Spielberg was going to executive-produce, with Martin Scorsese directing, and then John Landis was considered to direct as well. Finally, the film was offered to director Frank Oz, who was then off of Muppets Take Manhattan. He's the perfect choice after the underrated scene of Baby Kermit being fed to a group of hungry kitchen rats.
The film was shot in the legendary Pinewood Studios, including the 007 stage. It was very easy to shoot there, since Bond was still stuck on top of the Golden Gate Bridge at the time. It took a couple years to get him down! A star-studded cast was given to the film in parts big and small. We've not only got a special appearance from Steve Martin, but two cast members from the TV show Martin! Plus an opening text crawl.
Narrator: On the twenty-third day of the month of September...
Snob: Obviously meant as an homage to Roger Corman's Star Wars knockoffs.
Now let's find our way to this shop that sells these horror items.
Greek Chorus: Little Shop! Little Shop of Horrors! Little-
Snob: Uh, yeah, I was actually looking for a Spencer's Gifts. I accidentally put in the wrong address on my Uber.
The Greek Chorus is made up of characters named Crystal, Chiffon and Ronette, named after the '60s girl groups The Crystals, The Chiffons, and The Ronettes- but no love for the little-seen fourth member named after The Cookies.
I can see why they shoot at Pinewood. Something about this would've felt right at home in the Roger Moore era, particularly Live and Let Die. Frequent Frank Oz collaborator Miles Goodman also did the score for the film, which would get him a Golden Globe nomination.
I think this New York neighborhood is used to the Greek Chorus screaming in their ears. That's not gonna stop Mr. Mushnik from reading about Bonnie Tyler coming to town. As for Seymour-
(Seymour accidentally knocks down a shelf)
Snob: Maybe if he could concentrate, that wouldn't have happened. Seymour's coworker and love interest, Audrey, is played by Ellen Greene, the only cast member from the original off-Broadway play, although producers at the time first offered the role to Cyndi Lauper.
Mr. Mushnik: She finally decides to come to work!
Audrey: Uh, good morning, Mr. Mushnik!
Snob: Hmm, I don't know if I see the Cyndi Lauper connection.
Given the black eye, I think Audrey may be having some problems with her greasy boyfriend. Even Seymour notices.
Seymour: You look radiant today. Is that new eye makeup?
Snob: He has a thing for a good punch to the face!
The shop is low on business, but it doesn't help that you're shooing away potential business. Maybe they were there to buy some Vincent gardenias. You're gonna cause them to spawn another musical number which will make Seymour drop more shit. The tune "Skid Row" begins with some verses from Tony-nominated actress Bertice Reading, who sang her part live on the stage- a great little performance which would be her last film role before her death in '91. From everything to the sets and the special effects, you can see the love put into the filmmaking here, which at the time was the largest budget for a Warner Bros. film, at $25 million.
Eh, Downtown doesn't seem so bad. Sure, it's kind of a zombie movie, but they haven't graduated to eating people yet! Even the dirt is nice and colorful, and there's beautiful mat paintings! I'd go to Skid Row.
Townspeople: Down on Skid Row! Down on Skid Row! Down on Skid Row!
Snob: Though it's kinda loud! Gotta sleep sometime!
Excuse me, do you mind, Seymour? I understand your complaints about being poor, but I think this guy has it worse. His insides are held together by drunken worms. Sure, Seymour wants to get out of there, but again, they are smart enough to cage the zombies. It hasn't gone full Day of the Dead yet!
And now that the musical number is over, we can all remember it is still a work day!
(Montage of the shop's boring business day)
Snob: Yes. I too, remember what it was like waiting for something to happen in Angry Asian Murder Hornets. Here's hoping they get it right in the sequel, Ebola Rex versus Murder Hornets.
Perhaps they can liven this place up with a newer, more interesting plant that Seymour found.
Mr. Mushnik: What kind of a little plant is that, Seymour?
Seymour: I don't know! I think it's some kind of flytrap-
Snob: Seymour, that's a dick. He's named his plant 'Audrey II'- yeah, sure. It's named after you, Audrey, and not named after his- uh- could we get a guest star in here?
Customer: Excuse me, I couldn't help but notice that strange and interesting plant.
Snob: Hoo, thank God, a Christopher Guest star!
Seymour tells the story about how he bought the plant from an old Chinese man after he almost bought a Mogwai, but then the song about feeding them after midnight and movie theater explosions and microwaved Gremlins sounded really messy. So sure, murderous plant. That'll be less to clean up.
I love Christopher Guest's commercial guy performance. It's like he's right out of one of those Folgers ads, not realizing this is clearly a Wilkins Coffee family. Now sales are going off the charts. But don't you see the nightmare this will cause? This is Conal Cochran's stint into selling plants! And don't get too excited- you'll wear yourselves out!
Seymour: Are we still going out?
(Audrey II droops)
Snob: Relax, there's a pill for that. Ah, see the problem is Maxwell House. That wouldn't have happened with Wilkins!
After being pricked by rose thorns, he gets the idea to feed Audrey II drops of blood. That works out. That plants behind him are dying from him taking a greasy shit inside of their pots. Eat up!
(Audrey II nips at Seymour's finger)
Snob: Okay, lesson one: I won't put my balls in it. I don't know why he's uncomfortable about this. Afterwards he's gotta go feed Attic Frank some dead bodies, as well as trying to find a new body for the Brain that Wouldn't Die.
The special effects are already impressive. The "Grow for Me" effect was done by having the plant on a track concealed by the camera, and bringing it closer to the lens.
Plus the plant is already making him famous, as he's booked on a weird and wild radio show hosted by holy shit, it's Eugene Levy! Wink Wilkinson has to get through all the schtick before he can get to the crux of the show: JFK conspiracy theories.
Wink: And at his press conference today, President Kennedy fielded questions concerning last Thursday's total eclipse of the sun.
Snob: See? JFK caused the alien plant, bro!
The interview is going really great, considering what happened the other time Ellen Greene was linked to a radio show. The girls are helping her out a little bit on her relationship problems. Also, the little problem with why is she wearing a cow!
Now that she breaks into Selina Kyle's apartment, she can finally get a moment to herself by singing the classic musical tune "Somewhere That's Green". She gets the idea from Better Homes and Gardens. When I was a kid, I used to dream about my future from Highlights magazine. It was a future where I couldn't find shit! This one's much better: it's a fantasy life outside of Skid Row, with a life-sized replica of Mr. Bill's house, and an endless supply of valium! That bird's not really there, but she sure can make a great martini. These were the good old days, before all the bitchin' in the kitchen and crying in the bedroom all night. And the wood-paneled walls will stay there till the mid-'80s, where unfortunately you'll be watching Life With Lucy instead of I Love Lucy. You can fantasize all you want, but this is still the best place to get a free bottle of Old Harper from a passed-out homeless man. This was also a private song, thank you very much.
Greek Chorus: Some fun now, hot damn! Ain't he havin' some fun now? Yes ma'am!
Snob: There sure is a lot of gossip in on Skid Row.
Seymour's nights are now spent draining his fingers of blood- again, I'm sure outside Dave will drain all of his fingers for you for just a nickel. On the plus side, the shop is going way better after the Christopher Guest bump. I smell a makeover!
Audrey: I like, could help you pick things out.
Seymour: You'd go shopping with me?
Snob: Yeah, you'll have to walk at least six feet behind me, but sure, we can go together. Now, if you'll excuse us, Seymour-
Orin: When I was younger, just a bad little kid-
Snob: We gotta get to my favorite part of the movie! Audrey's abusive boyfriend Orin Scrivello is a man who even his motorcycle has a mind of its own! Plus, he's a dentist! Can't you tell?
Orin: You'll be a dentist! You have a talent for causing things PAIN!
Snob: That was still the most effective way to knock out patients- OR staff- in the 1960s.
Martin brings a lot to this character, like it being his idea to do things like twist off the doll's head. Originally the dentist's office was supposed to be splattered with blood and a lot more grim looking, but best save that for the musical version of the Corbin Bernsen Dentist. 1986 was a very popular year for sadists who like to breathe through gas masks. And with that, the Steve Marin movie Novocaine was also born. Speaking of other Martin movies, this guy's terrified. Not by the pain, but that another rendition of "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" is on its way! That's right! I am choosing to believe this is the same character from Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band! Instead of stealing musical instruments, he is stealing dreams! Martin walks into this movie with the energy of a flying motorcycle, like Elvis Presley crossed with Henry Bowers from It.
Orin: I even know your name! Now let's see, it's uh, Cecil. No no no! It's uh, Cedric. No! Gimme a chance!
Audrey: It's Seymour!
Orin: Somebody talkin' to you?
Audrey: Oh, no.
Snob: I didn't know you could award someone with the funniest domestic abuser put on film, but there you go!
Damn, it's terrible how that sadist treats people.
Seymour: The man's a total disgrace to the dental profession!
Snob: ...Among other things!
But here is where the night gets really weird!
Audrey II: Feed me!
Snob: Holy shit, it's Big Lloyd! Wait, wait, never mind. It's Mother Brain from Captain N. You know what this movie needs? A catchphrase.
Audrey II: Feed me, Seymour! Feed me all night long!
Snob: Damn '60s and their eating disorder plants!
Designed by Lyle Conway, Audrey II is the marvel of an effect which was achieved by filming the plant at a much slower speed, and then presenting it normal speed which gave it the most realistic movement effects. Levi Stubbs' voice was filtered through a harmonizer when slowed down so that the other actors could understand him. It's easy to understand: you just gotta kill the evil dentist, even though his is the only office that takes Seymour's insurance. Plus if you kill him, you may get rid of that jerk, but he'll be replaced by The Jerk Too!
Audrey II: So go get it!
Snob: Fine. We'll feed the bloodthirsty plant. And if there's any leftovers, we'll give some to The Giant Leeches.
Now let's take a break to let Audrey II finish their FIFTH meal of the day!
(Halloween III trailer plays)
Snob: Now back to this movie made by antidentite bastards! Who's next in this line of- holy shit, it's Frank Cross! It has to be Frank Cross. He quoted "Feed Me, Seymour" at the end of that movie!
Here Bill Murray is a raging masochist who wants desperately to be one of Jigsaw's next victims. Surprisingly, this is the only film collaboration of Steve Martin and Bill Murray. Plus, even the props are cameos: these are the same utensils that would later be used in Tim Burton's Batman. It makes sense, since Jack Nicholson played the Murray character in the 1960 version. While Bill Murray's regular lines were from the script, nothing was really written for his pain noises in the chair, so a lot of ad-libbing was done- which made it quite the job for the editor, so long as the very sexual climax is still there.
Arthur: Oh yeah! Oh yes! YES!
Snob: Well, there sure has been a lot of weird sex scenes on the show this month! Heh. More so than usual!
I love that Bill is weird enough to creep out the sadistic dentist. He needs someone to scream in pain, so luckily let's do this scene from the little-seen film Abusive Parenthood.
Orin: Look Seymour, this could happen to you.
Snob: At least after 20 years of doing Brad Tries.
I'm sure they really want to reference Marathon Man, but this takes place years before the events of that movie. There's already Batman tools in his office. Now I desperately want him to become a Batman villain. He's the Scarecrow with a wicked sense of humor! There's plenty of other kinds of gases other than fear gas. Smilex, for instance!
Steve Martin is so great in this. I bet they keep him around for the rest of the movie.
(Orin asphyxiates on nitrous oxide)
Snob: Boo! Reshoot the ending!
With one down, he only has two of the Three Amigos left to bump off. Steve is much taller. It may have been a lot easier to store Martin Short. You wouldn't even need to chop him up into little pieces!
(Seymour begins to dismember Orin's corpse)
Snob: Still, this is the most family-friendly movie I've done this month, even with the dead body-eating.
(Seymour feeds Audrey II)
Snob: You know you're gonna choke on that paper.
I guess the others are sad, too, that Orin's hilarity is no more. Let's cry about it over the destroyed diner from Batteries Not Included. Poor sadistic dentist.
Audrey: It'd be a miracle. Not to mention all the money I'd save on Epsom salts and ace bandages.
Snob: See? It's the little things that give the world a positive outlook!
Seymour sings to her "Suddenly Seymour", about how he really is a nice guy. Much better than a woman-beating dentist! And that he genuinely is a nice guy. He assures her he will not try to grab her from the lake docks, and give a serial killer a famous mask. Still, he'd best keep it a secret that Orin isn't really dead, and that Seymour unfortunately has to help him relocate to witness protection. Again, please, we would like some privacy. I'd rather word not get out that I moved in on Orin's girl instead of his motorcycle like his dying wish asked.
I'm sensing a happy ending. Maybe. Depending on what kind of- well, you'll see. All you need to know is that Seymour's penis is finally bigger than Audrey II.
However, Mr. Mushnik saw everything. You killed the comic relief, and we don't have John Candy around anymore. He's already gone home! Mr. Mushnik needs to give him a break. I've seen Death Wish. He let Paul Kersey get away with vigilante killings. Ask Christopher Guest, he was there! I love how dark this sequence is, yet it still had to be shot in close-ups because Gardenia and Moranis kept cracking each other up. See? He remembers Death Wish! Let's give Seymour a deal and let him go.
(Audrey II bites Mr. Mushnik and swallows him whole)
Snob: Oh, right. He died in Death Wish II.
In happier news though, Seymour could host a gardening show. He could be a celebrity. The world will have Audrey II fever- after all, who didn't have the "Feed Me!" board game? And did anyone else wake up early to watch the Saturday morning cartoon where Audrey II was a nice plant? Propaganda! He's stressed out by all of this, since he was assured he would be interviewed by Dick Cavett. But it's the '60s, so if you're in a bad mood, or feeling low about life or your career or a dead abusive lover, there's only one thing that can fix that.
Seymour: Then that's it! We'll go get married right now!
Audrey: Oh, Seymour!
Snob: I was going to say Scotch, but no, you're right. Marriage is the top answer! It's gonna be hard to break it to the kids, though.
Audrey II: Feed me!
Snob: Not now, Lloyd!
Either the plant gets fed, or he's gonna make a call to the producers to change the ending, and make a few prank calls.
Audrey: Is this someone I know?
Audrey II: You're looking mighty sweet!
Audrey: Seymour!
Snob: I mean, well, obviously!
Here's where we start drifting into the famous original ending of the film, when Audrey II tries eating Audrey I. Seymour does help get her out of the plant, however in the original version, she dies of her wounds and requests that Seymour feed her body to the plant, which he does. In the theatrical cut, she lives, and she and Seymour are approached by a marketing executive played by James Belushi, who Seymour turns down and chases off. In the original cut, that role was played by Paul Dooley, who couldn't return for the reshoots. He's thanked in the end credits of the theatrical version. Here, he interrupts him while Seymour contemplates suicide.
However, the follow-up song, "Mean Green Mother from Outer Space", where Seymour is determined to destroy Audrey II, is mostly intact, which is good because-
(Audrey II's buds harmonize)
Snob: Because the tiny Audrey IIs are my favorite part of the song! Plus, the tune was even nominated for an Oscar for Original Song!
The theatrical cut ends happily, with Audrey II being destroyed. Tisha Campbell couldn't return for the reshoots either, so a body double was used. I'll bet it was Cookie! And Seymour and Audrey live happily ever after with it being left ambiguous that things might go bad. Everyone takes a little bit of Skid Row with them.
Now here's the MAJOR difference in the original version- arguably the best alternate ending of all time. Not only does Audrey I get eaten, but so does Seymour, which leads to world domination via evil plants being bought up like they're Silver Shamrock masks. This ending is based on the ending from the play, and $5 million of the budget went to this sequence. You can tell, because it is jaw-droppingly impressive with its insane use of miniatures, supervised by Richard Conway of Flash Gordon and Brazil. This ending says "yeah, you may dream of leaving Skid Row, but not only is that not gonna happen, but the bad parts of your neighborhood are gonna take over the entire world!"
So, guess why it was changed? Multiple test audiences were loving the film until the ending, which scored the movie only a 13% recommendation. That meant that Warner would most likely refuse to release the film unless that was changed. Frank Oz chalked it up to "well, at least on stage the actors come out after and take a bow, I guess?" The filmmakers hated not just the phone call that had to be made to the special effects team, but that they couldn't use the true ending of the play. A workprint of it would be seen on a recalled 1998 DVD, before eventually being polished up for a director's cut released in 2012. The original ending is worth it for the effects alone. It is joyful carnage, a lovingly bleak ode to B-movies. Which doesn't make the theatrical ending bad, but the rampant destruction is joyful madness!
With either ending, though, the movie as a whole is total bliss. It's loved by critics and audiences, and even theatrical screenings of the original cut gained far more appreciation now than it got with the test audiences. Every song is memorable to this day, the comedy is still darkly hilarious, the set designs and effects show a true love for musical filmmaking. It's charming, yes, but when an I gonna get my musical version of Ski Troop Attack? I've given up on Jennifer!
That does it for this year's Musical March in September, but don't worry. Next month is October, so the horror films will still be here, as will I! I'm not gonna sing and dance in those videos, either!
Orin: Oh, mama!