Little Shop of Horrors (1986)

A nerdish florist finds his chance for success and romance with the help of a giant man-eating plant who demands to be fed.

Director:

Frank Oz

Writers:

Howard Ashman (screenplay), Howard Ashman (musical play "Little Shop of Horrors"),

Stars:

Levi Stubbs, Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Levi Stubbs	...	Audrey II (voice)
Rick Moranis	...	Seymour Krelborn
Ellen Greene	...	Audrey
Vincent Gardenia	...	Mushnik
Steve Martin	...	Orin Scrivello - D.D.S.
Tichina Arnold	...	Crystal
Michelle Weeks	...	Ronette
Tisha Campbell-Martin	...	Chiffon (as Tisha Campbell)
James Belushi	...	Patrick Martin
John Candy	...	Wink Wilkinson
Christopher Guest	...	The First Customer
Bill Murray	...	Arthur Denton
Stan Jones	...	Narrator (voice) (as Stanley Jones)
Bertice Reading	...	'Downtown' Old Woman
Ed Wiley	...	'Downtown' Bum #1

Storyline

Seymour Krelborn is a nerdy orphan working at Mushnik's, a flower shop in urban Skid Row. He harbors a crush on fellow co-worker Audrey Fulquard, and is berated by Mr. Mushnik daily. One day as Seymour is seeking a new mysterious plant, he finds a very mysterious unidentified plant which he calls Audrey II. The plant seems to have a craving for blood and soon begins to sing for his supper. Soon enough, Seymour feeds Audrey's sadistic dentist boyfriend to the plant and later, Mushnik for witnessing the death of Audrey's ex. Will Audrey II take over the world or will Seymour and Audrey defeat it?

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Plot Keywords:

plant | shop | florist | orphan | eclipse | 

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Taglines:

A Singing Plant. A Daring Hero. A Sweet Girl. A Demented Dentist.

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material including comic horror violence, substance abuse, language and sex references

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 December 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

La petite boutique des horreurs

Filming Locations:

Albert R. Broccoli 007 Stage, Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$25,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$38,747,385 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Geffen Company, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min 102 min (original)

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Dolby Stereo (35 mm prints)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The song "Some Fun Now" was adapted from the song from the Off-Broadway show "Ya Never Know." Four other songs ("Closed for Renovation," "Mushnik & Son," "Now (It's Just the Gas)," and "Call Back in the Morning") were cut from the score and one, "Mean Green Mother From Outer Space" was written for the film. Ashman and Menken wrote and proposed two songs to be used during the end credits: the ballad "Your Day Begins Tonight" and "Crystal, Ronette and Chiffon". These were dropped in favor of a medley of songs from the score.

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Goofs

When Seymour is using the grass mower during the 'Somewhere that's Green' dream sequence, the length of the grass he passes over does not change.

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Quotes

Seymour: The Audrey Two is not a healthy girl.
Mr. Mushnik: Strictly between us - neither is the Audrey One.

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Crazy Credits

"Special Thanks" are given to Paul Dooley, because his scenes as Patrick Martin were cut and re-cast with James Belushi. Dooley's scenes are restored for the Director's cut, and consequently Belushi gets the "Special Thanks" instead.

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Connections

Referenced in Unhappily Ever After: Little Ice Cream Shop of Horrors (1997)

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Soundtracks

"Mean Green Mother From Outer Space"
Written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken
Arranged and Adapted by Bob Gaudio and Robby Merkin
Produced by Bob Gaudio
Performed by Levi Stubbs and Chorus (Oren Waters, Maxine Waters Willard, Julia Waters, Lynn Davis, Tommy Funderburk, Siedah Garrett, Debra Dobkin, Luther Waters, Jay Gruska, Joe Pizzulo, Donny Gerrard, Monalisa Young and Gene Morford)

User Reviews

Madcap musical mayhem

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".