User reviews

The 1986 film version of the Broadway musical LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS is an entertaining movie based on the black comedy from the 1960's about a nerdy milquetoast who raises a man-eating plant that gets totally out of control. Rick Moranis is perfection as Seymour, the nebbish who is at a loss at what to do when his own Frankenstein grows too big for him to control and Ellen Greene (reprising her role in the original musical) is delightful as Audrey, the object of Seymour's affections. Moranis and Greene make one of the most engaging screen teams I've seen in a while. Vincent Gardenia plays the greedy flower shop owner, Mr. Mushnik and Bill Murray is hysterically funny in one scene as Arthur Denton, a man who seems to enjoy going to the dentist a little too much. Tischina Arnold, Tisha Campbell, and Michelle Weeks are awesome as the Greek Chorus known as "The Urchins" and Steve Martin practically steals the movie as "Orin Scrivello, DDS". His song "Be a Dentist" is hysterically funny. The voice of the plant, Audrey II, is provided by Levar Stubbs of The Four Tops and he is superb. A fun musical comedy that the whole family can enjoy.

I absolutely loved this movie, and I'm kind of upset I didn't go out of my way to see it sooner. This movie is a hysterical parody of 50s monster movies that boasts hysterical moments and cameos, unforgettably catchy songs, and wears its huge sentimental heart on its sleeve; I can't recommend this enough.

What really won me over about Little Shop of Horrors is the music. The story is interesting, the characters are entertaining, but I can listen to the soundtrack over and over again without tiring of it. The songs are so much fun! Plus, the visual effects used to create Audrey II are quite impressive. This is one of the few times when the film adaptation of a delightfully morbid musical is better than the original movie on which the stage play was based.

No, not the black & white Roger Corman jewel featuring Jack Nicholson, though I suppose I'd watch that one again too. I'm talking about the 1986 color musical with Rick Moranis and Audrey II by way of Frank Oz. Like I tell my friends about "Babe," I love a film with a Greek chorus. In this one, the chorus consists of three Motownish women singers, Crystal, Chiffon and Ronette. I'll watch this film again, just to hear them sing one line: "TO – TAL – E – CLIPSE – OF – THE – SUN!" This is an all-singing, all-dancing science fiction black comedy that features human misery, a sadistic dentist, a masochistic patient, casual murder, girlfriend abuse, and a blood-sucking alien house plant monster. It's hilarious from beginning to end. And the music is outstanding.

It IS a musical! This film has great music and dance tunes throughout! Rick Moranis is spot-on as the nerd who falls for the beautiful woman (who, of course, basically dismisses him). Along the way, he acquires a flesh-eating plant that loves people - the wrong way. The plant (Audrey 2 after Audrey, the love interest) also sings wonderfully and it makes for a great time! This one's a classic for sure!

First off I must say that I love this movie that was wonderfully directed by Frank Oz. Always have since the first time I saw it as a youngster. It is a remake of sorts to the 1960 Roger Corman film under the same title. But, this film is based on the play that was based on that film. This film is filled from beginning to end with great, super-catchy early 60s inspired songs that many of the main characters sing.

The plot is about a nerdy florist Seymour Krelborn (played to perfection by Rick Moranis) who seems to stumble across a new plant that he has growing in the basement of Mushnik's (Vincent Gardenia) where he also works and lives. He has called the plant Audrey II due to his affection for his coworker Audrey (great performance by Ellen Greene). Once he finds out though that it takes blood to feed his new plant he must soon find ways to feed the plant that has given Mushnik's a ton of business.

I must say that apart from the great songs, wonderful puppetry of the Audrey II plant is that the acting to me is top notch. No one gives a below par performance from Steve Martin as the super abusive, drug addicted dentist named Orin Scrivello (don't forget the DDS) who loves to inflict pain on people to Bill Murray who plays Arthur Denton who loves pain and wants Orin to give him a long, slow root canal. The whole time Murray is on screen I am laughing. Martin though in this film must play the worst human being he has ever played that I remember anyways. Martin sings "Dentist!" which might be the funniest song in the film. Audrey II is voiced by Levi Stubbs who sang with The Four Tops and really I think they made the perfect choice as he can really sing, but also really bring out the bad attitude that Audrey II has.

Also starring John Candy, Jim Belushi, Tisha Campbell and Christopher Guest.

So if you think you might like The Muppets Meet 60s B-Movie with 60s styled music with a blend of horror and sci-fi give it a try.

I have known this film since I could crawl. And it was very cool when I was in it at my high school. Ah, memories. *sniff*, oh sorry! The musical is a lot of fun to watch. It is a little cheesy on some levels. But you'll enjoy it somewhat.

Rick Moranis is a wonderful actor. I really enjoyed him as Seymor. The rest of the cast delivers a great musical. Steve Martin is one of the best characters in "Litle Shop". And as well as the extremely talented John Candy.*hint* :D

I would recommend this for a fun time. But I am still curious about the original ending.

7/10

I certainly don't understand the low rating on here for this film - if you've never seen it before don't let that put you off watching it.

LSOH was my 'family movie' as a kid, introduced to us by our dentist uncle. Everything about it is just perfect it - is funny, self-aware and contains too many brilliant scenes to count. The songs are consistently great and the casting is spot on. I especially love all the amazing cameos: Bill Murray, John Candy etc.

Whenever I'm ill or feeling down, all I need to do to feel better is just watch this film. I never trust anyone says they don't like this film!

I'm no big fan of musicals but LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS captured my heart the first time I saw it as a kid. What's not to love about the ultimate carnivorous plant growing to gigantic proportions as the story progresses, and the ultimate geek whose life is given over to mentoring it? Rewatching it now as an adult, it's easy to see this film as a product of the 1980s. It's all about cheesy excess, and there's never a moment of restraint when some loud, all-singing sequences are ready to be played out. The songs are belted with gusto and the actors put their all into the show. This is a film all about spectacle, and it works.

Rick Moranis is one of those guys who I feel got unfairly maligned by producers and viewers alike back at the time. He was passed over as one-note, OTT, cheesy, unbelievable. But comedy is a subjective field, and I always admired the guy for his turns in this and the likes of GHOSTBUSTERS and HONEY I SHRUNK THE KIDS. Against him, Ellen Greene has a cracking set of lungs and proves every bit his equal.

There's a lot to enjoy in this adaptation of the stage musical, not leave Steve Martin's extended cameo as a truly deranged dentist. Martin goes all out with a performance so physically demanding that he brings an adrenaline shot to the heart of energy to the movie. Plus, of course, there's Audrey II, who still looks and sounds great after all these years; kudos to Levi Stubbs for providing the inimitable voice.

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS might not be high art, but it sure is a lot of fun.

One of the most unappreciated films of the eighties, the songs, performances, and especially the affectionate screenplay all harken back to the cheap old days of Roger Corman and his B movie compatriots. From Steve Martin's sadistic Elvis-inspired dentist to the early girl-group rock score, "Little Shop" moves with an appropriately cheesy style that lets you in on the joke, yet never insults you for loving those poverty row movies.

Fans of Fraggle Rock and Sesame Street will see a very familiar creative streak and aesthetic in this wild, eccentric 1986 sci-fi/musical/horror. Though very different from his previous films The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth, Frank Oz (when not voicing Kermit or planting cellophane bags of Angel Dust on Dan Aykroyd) does seem right at home and the perfect choice to direct this movie of a giant hungry plant gone mad.

Nerdy florist Seymore Krelborn (Rick Moranis) encourages his boss to display a bizarre new plant, the Audrey II, in the shop window in order to entice more customers into their failing business. The plan works, and as Audrey II grows larger so does their fame. But Audrey demands to be fed, and blood and human meat are at the top of the preferred menu, as so, in a sort-of botanist version of Hellraiser Seymore arranges to keep Audrey II fed with people who deserve to die.

Little does he know that Audrey II actually has plans for world domination and is merely using him as a naive puppet. Many musical numbers and cameos later (from John Candy, Bill Murray, and Steve Martin) the film forks into two different endings, depending on what version your watching. The theatrical cut, which I never really liked, gives us a happy ending that was shot merely to appease a fickle test audience (insert groans and rolling eyes here) while the extended ending of Frank Oz's director's cut is more epic, darker, crazier, and feels like a more natural homage to creature features of the 1950s such as Godzilla or Creature from the Black Lagoon. I can't believe this ending was ditched and not seen for over 25 years.

Little Shop of Horrors deserves and enduring popularity and if you watch it I insist on the director's cut.

Firstly I should state that, in general, I *loathe* musicals. Can't stand them. Although I love music. Secondly, this is my favourite film of all time. The acting, the songs, the plant... the whole thing is close to perfection. Funniest song, with the BEST lyrics ever - "Dentist!" Most moving song (guaranteed goose-bumps even after 20 viewings) -"Suddenly, Seymour". Ellen Green has a powerhouse voice and Rick Moranis' voice does just as much as it should to stay in-tune and in-character. Levi Stubbs is excellent as the voice of 'Audrey'. If my house were falling down, I'd grab my dogs, my L.S.O.H. DVD and then my husband, in that order!

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (1986) ***1/2 Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Vincent Gardenia, Steve Martin, Jim Belushi, John Candy, Christopher Guest. Entertaining musical comedy based on the off-Broadway smash inspired by Roger Corman's cult low-budget horror flick "The Little Shop of Horrors" never lets up on energy in this decidedly camp tale about nerd Seymour Krelborn (Moranis in geek mode) the apprentice florist at a skid row floral shop whose hybrid creation of a Venus flytrap grows in more ways than one when it develops a nasty craving for human blood. Very funny and brightly directed by Muppeteer Frank Oz with lots of eye candy and expert detail of 1960 with a creme de la creme cast of comic geniuses. Outstanding especially is Martin as the sadomasochistic dentist a la Elvis and his scene with pain on the brain patient Murray (pricelessly hysterical in the role made famous by a young Jack Nicholson). Great creature visuals of "Audrey II" with voice provided by Four Tops leadman Levi Stubbs. Greene does a memorable turn as the abused heroine Audrey whose best described as Marilyn Monroe and Carol Channing purreed into one; sad sexpot with a lot of spunk and heart. Memorable songs particularly the show stopper "Suddenly Seymour".

There's a lot of fun elements in Little Shop of Horrors: the man-eating plant itself is certainly interesting, fun, and well done. Moranis and Martin both turn in wonderful performances, and the story is unique and clever. I generally enjoy musicals so that's not a problem for me but I found the musical numbers average at best. I personally didn't enjoy Ellen Greene's Audrey, and was not able to really connect with the film the way I'd hoped to despite its many positives. It's not a bad film by any means and for those curious persons you should definitely check it out because there seem to many viewers who really love this film. I however found it only mildly entertaining.

"Little Shop of Horrors" is so amazingly special and unique, that viewing it almost transports you to another world. It's quite possibly the best film representation of a stage musical ever made--the sets are perfect, the casting is perfect, the music is perfect, and everything else about the film is perfect. Rick Moranis, Vincent Gardenia, and Steve Martin are all wonderful as Seymour Krelborn, Mushnik, and Orin Scrivello, DDS. However, my favorite performance in this film is that of Ellen Greene (who reprises her part from Broadway). The role of Audrey, Seymour's bubbly, sexy yet innocent co-worker with low self-esteem was made for her. I heard that the role was first offered to Barbara Striesand (who declined), and I am SO glad Ellen ended up getting it! Maybe the reason why some people, though very few, don't care for this movie is that there has never really been another film (that I'm aware of) even remotely like it. I just hope one day this film gets re-released into theaters!

This is a classic example of a hollywood musical. Good songs, funny, sincere acting, a bit dark, romantic, and the plant is amazing. Ellen Greene is heartbreakingly sweet and vulnerable, and she can sing. Steve Martin is point on funny as always and you have to love Rick Moranis. I was a fan of the B&W Roger Corman original, but this is a totally different creature and a worthwhile pick up from the video/DVD store. I own the DVD and director Frank Oz's commentary is very enlightening and it has a music soundtrack only feature.

Noting the several comments from people who hated or just didn't "get" this film, I am more convinced than ever that democracy is a rather lame idea since many people are simply too stupid or vapid to deserve a vote. But I digress....

I laughed my ass off when I first heard that "Little Shop" was being remade as a musical, and gleefully predicted that it would be an even bigger turd than the musical remake of "Lost Horizon" -- truly one of the most ghastly things that ever soiled a piece of film. I rented the presumed-abominable "Little Shop" musical, invited a few friends over, and we flat fell in love with this movie. None of us are even big fans of musicals; I liked "Carousel" and "Oklahoma," but that's pretty much my complete list of musicals that will bear re-watching. And now this one!

Boy, did I ever call this one wrong, and I'm damned glad I did. I've seen it ten or fifteen times, and caught pieces of it another few dozen times while flipping channels. I never tire of it. It's that good.

The music is fabulous (as many others have commented), and every piece of casting is perfect. Rick Moranis, who I never thought of as anything other than a competent character actor, does a grand job; he's actually VERY competent and perfect for this role. Surprisingly, he does an amazingly good job of singing (if it was lip-synched, the voice-match was simply perfect). His stock shot up a lot of points with me for this work. His duet work with Ellen Greene (particularly on the operatic "Suddenly Seymour") was superb, though I'll bet he was sorely intimidated to be belting out a duet with someone with the power and range of the incredible Ellen Greene. But he rips right in, carries it off beautifully, and magic happens. There are a lot of tremendous voices in "Little Shop," but "Suddenly Seymour" never fails to bring out the goose bumps for me. How that tiny little woman can shake the walls like that is a great mystery -- my God, what a pair of lungs!

Everyone else has sung the praises of Levi Stubbs and Steve Martin, and a raft of other cameo roles, so I'll just say, "Ditto."

As I said, I was a big fan of the very dark "original" version, and I never saw the stage play. I've read enough about the "original" ending of this musical (which I won't spoil) to believe that I'd have liked the "original" ending at least as much as the basically "happy" ending we were left with. I'd love to see a DVD with both versions, just to compare.

I was perfectly prepared to hate this film, and particularly since I have nothing but disgust for Geffen, personally. However, this has become one of my favorite films of all time -- certainly on my "Top 30" or thereabouts, maybe even "Top 20."

If your idea of a great musical is less 'Singing in the Rain', 'West Side Story' or 'South Pacific' and more 'Hairspray', 'Rocky Horror, and 'Phantom of the Paradise' then you simply must check out Frank Oz's Little Shop of Horrors.

Based on the off-Broadway show, which was itself based on the cult Roger Corman movie, this marvellously entertaining piece of sci-fi schlock horror is funny, romantic, a little scary (well, my kids thought so), and huge fun from start to finish.

Rick Moranis stars as Seymour Krelborn, a nerdish shop assistant in a skid-row florists. Seymour's pitiful life changes drastically, however, when he discovers an unusual plant and takes it back to his workplace: the strange specimen brings the lonely horticulturist fame and fortune, plus the chance of finally scoring with busty blonde co-worker Audrey (Ellen Greene). The only problem is that the plant needs constant feeding, and Miracle-Gro just won't do.... no, this sucker wants blood, and lots of it!

Moranis makes a likable leading man, and shows off a surprisingly good singing voice, whilst Ellen Greene impresses not only with her incredible vocals, but also with her amazing body, which often threatens to steal the show. These two leads are joined by a fine supporting cast, which includes top comedy performers of the day Steve Martin, Bill Murray, John Candy, Christopher Guest, and James Belushi.

The real star of the film, however, is 'Audrey II', the alien plant creature voiced by The Four Tops' Levi Stubb's; this 'mean green mother from outer space' is a miracle of special effects with its fluid movements and impeccable lip-synching making it one of the finest examples of animatronics I have ever seen in a film.

The theatrical release of Little Shop of Horrors -- the one that is currently available on DVD and the one I first saw back in 1986 -- ends with Seymour destroying the monstrous pot-plant and living happily ever after with Audrey; it's a lot of fun and is easily worth a rating of at least 8/10. But if you think that is good, be sure to check out Frank Oz's original, downbeat, apocalyptic ending, which was rejected by test audiences; it's on You Tube and will leave you gob-smacked. Now that version is definitely worth full marks! Let's hope there's a Director's Cut available on DVD sometime real soon.

This movie was fun, in the sense of, I can see myself putting it on and laughing with a couple friends. The movie keeps you entertained pretty well. With the exception of the last couple scenes of the film which I think drag on a bit. Overall though I can see why this movie has a cult following. The movie is shot compellingly and the characters are likeable and funny. Overall 6.5/10.

My Take: Definitely one of my favorite musicals of all time.

The last few months of the year 2008 have not been good to me, but it has its ups and downs. The limelights? A reunion with an old favorite: None other than the 80's hit musical LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. I remember watching LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS as a kid, and I remembered loving it. I've been hunting to see this movie for quite sometime. Thankfully, it caught me in surprise on TV one time, then I went out seeing it again... and again on DVD, still being fresh each time. It's the best movie of its kind, even if I don't know exactly what kind of movie it is.

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS combines two delightful concepts: A joyous, old-fashioned musical and a send-off of the campy, low-budget B-movies of the B&W era. In fact, which you all might know by now, this brilliant concept all started from one big joke, from Roger Corman no less. Corman produced the original LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS as a mere joke that he can make a film with a reused set from another movie and a limited shooting schedule of two days. The result was a film that was ignored in its initial release, but earned its cult following subsequent years later. One of this avid admirers is David Geffen, who has just come up with a brilliant idea: turn the film into a silly, bent Broadway musical. Strange, maybe if it wasn't so good. The musical was a surprise success, even loved by Mr. Corman himself. So it was inevitable for Geffen to take his brilliant idea one step further: turn it into a big-budget Hollywood production.

Originally attached to the project is Martin Scorcese and Steven Spielberg, doing the movie in a very modest budget. But the reigns eventually went to puppeteer Frank Oz (most remembered as the voice of Yoda), with the budget exceeding $30 million. Plus the film was also legendary for flushing out $2 million worth of special effects after the menacing original ending tested poorly (deemed too dark) on test audiences, with an improved Hollywood happy ending made to replace it. Still, despite the expenses and some of the criticism toward the film, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS is still one of the best times I had in watching movies. The movie is a funhouse of endless entertainment packed with silly laughs, memorable musical numbers, tuneful songs, fine acting and outrageous special effects (even in this CG era, the Audrey II puppet created by Lyle Conway is still very convincing).

Rick Moranis stars as a down-on-his-luck slob Seymour Krelborn, who works in a bankrupt florist shop in the outcast district of Skid Row, where all the outcasts reside, including his bankrupt boss Mushnick (Vincent Gardenia) and battered beauty Audrey (Ellen Greene, reprising her off-off Broadway role). But when he finds a small, potted plant which he calls Audrey II, his life's about change. He becomes a great success, with the florist shop and boss right along with him. But there's a catch: Little Audrey II's hungry for blood, and he's growing... and growing... and growing. So how does Seymour feed a giant, singing man-eating vegetable? Nothing big, just chopping-up and killing people! LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS is quite like the "Springtime for Hitler" scene from Mel Brook's THE PRODUCERS. It's a little sick and dark on one hand, with a concept that's totally beyond its league, but in the end, it's fun, funny and peppered with inspired moments that never fails to make you smile in every frame. What are you waiting for? Feed yourself with the oddball delight of the irresistible LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS.

Rating: ***** out of 5.

Just watched this again for the first time in decades. No spoilers, but Steve Martin steals the show. I'm not sure which version I saw as a kid, but I just watched the original version. It's amazing that they threw away the original ending for something else.

This movie will not delight all, especially those who do not enjoy musicals. The lyrics are fun though, and there is enough satire and parody here to keep you in sly smiles and light chuckles. Steve Martin is laugh-out-loud delightful though!

It is a difficult movie to rate, as it is not a great film. It's intentionally hokey. It's intentionally silly. The plot is not complex, there are no real twists or surprises. It is an oddly sweet film though. This black comedy is just a fun romp and a good choice for some pre-Halloween fun.

A nerdy shop assistant and a wannabe botanical mad scientist Seymour (Rick Moranis) discovers an abandoned plant, which he nurses back to health, in the process turning the fortunes of his boss' flower shop and earning the admiration of his fellow assistant Audrey (Ellen Greene). The only problem being the actual nursing, for the carnivorous plant requires his blood to thrive.

Little Shop of Horrors is a love letter to the early B-films. Every single character is a stereotype of a stereotype, from the nerdy protagonist to the extreme doormat of a love interest suffering in a bad relationship, from which only her one true love could possible safe her, to the bullying jock villain to the greedy boss. The story line is also pretty much textbook and very clichéd, though in a somewhat unexpected way. You've definitely seen all the elements before, but the film can still surprise you with the way it mixes those elements together. It's definitely not a perfect blend, because the middle part of the film drags quite a bit and the characters are such cardboard cutouts that you don't really identify with them, making the drama part of the film fail miserably.

But the humour works. The plant is a lot of fun, with its deep, booming voice and impossible demands. The jock bully has probably the best twist surprise in the whole film, plus the best song, and the love interest is so whimpering and so under the thumb that it turns from annoying to kind of funny more than once. And the original ending, which was restored in 2012 by the studio, is so over the top that you cannot help but laugh because of its dark humour.

The music is also pretty good, heavily utilizing these three background singer girls, who're always switching roles to fit into the situation. Though I do have to admit that very few of the songs are all that memorable. Both the villain songs are amazing, and you'll be humming them for weeks, and the opening number does set the mood very well, but all the others I have no recollection of, and it hasn't been that long.

All in all, the movie is something of a mixed package. It has some truly great moments and an excellent initial idea, but it flows something haltingly and the two main characters could have been fleshed out a bit more. Still, definitely worth a watch if camp is your thing.