Plot: What’s it about?
The story of Little Shop of Horrors goes back a long way. The one and only Roger Corman shot this in two days on a leftover set back in 1960. It featured Jack Nicholson in his first movie as a masochistic dental patient (a role which Bill Murray reprised in the newer film version). Corman, known for opening the door to a number of major Hollywood stars that include Nicholson, Sylvester Stallone and Kevin Costner to name a few had a cult hit on his hands (which most of his movies are). Producer David Geffen saw the film and thought it might make an interesting Broadway play, and so it was adapted for the stage from the screen…only to be adapted to the screen again when Director Frank Oz took the reigns in 1986.
The story centers around a corner florist shop that has an owner and two employees, Seymour (Rick Moranis) and Audrey (Ellen Greene, who reprises her role from the stage). Seymour is smitten with Audrey, but has to keep it under control as she is already dating someone. Business is bad, bad enough where Mushnik decides to lay off his employees because he doesn’t have enough money to pay their salaries. But, as fate would have it, Seymour has a “special plant” that he thinks would attract new customers if it were to be placed in the front window. Figuring he has nothing to lose, Mushnik agrees and no sooner than the plant is in the window do customers beat the door down and buy every flower in sight! With their new found “fame”, Mushnik’s flower store is all of the sudden the place to be. With more orders than they can fill, business couldn’t be better and Seymour finds himself somewhat of a minor celebrity all at the hands of this mysterious plant, Audrey II. Mysterious is right, Audrey II isn’t like any other plant. Audrey II is a cannibal, initially feeding on Seymour’s blood, then moving to, uh…bigger things. Audrey II is also the only plant that can belt out a show tune in the midst of a human feeding!
That’s part of the delight of Little Shop of Horrors as well, not only is it very entertaining, but being adapted from a Broadway play, it is a musical. From the title “Little Shop of Horrors” song to others like “Suddenly Seymour” and “Feed me Seymour” this movie entertains not only to kids but to adults as well. While not overly violent, there are a few words that might keep the kids from enjoying it, oddly enough it’s the plant that swears, not the people. Frank Oz directs with a great cast that also has a lot of unsuspected cameo appearances. With James Belushi, Christopher Guest, John Candy, Steve Martin and Bill Murray (in one of his funniest roles since “Carl Spackler” of Caddyshack) there’s a suprise around every corner. Little Shop of Horrors may not be everyone’s thing, but if you take it with a grain of salt, you will enjoy it.
Video: How does it look?
Little Shop of Horrors has always been a colorful, visually distinctive film, and Warner Bros.’ new 4K presentation gives it a welcome makeover just in time for its 40th anniversary. The first thing that stands out is the film’s color palette. Audrey II’s transformation from a seemingly harmless little plant into a monstrous, man-eating menace benefits tremendously from the increased color depth, with those reds and greens looking particularly impressive. The more subdued, rundown look of Skid Row is also well represented, while the production design reveals additional texture in the aging storefronts, weathered walls, and other background details. There’s a welcome sense of dimensionality to the image that helps bring the film’s elaborate sets and practical effects to life. Suffice it to say that this breathes new life into the film.
Audio: How does it sound?
With Alan Menken and Howard Ashman’s memorable songs playing such an important role in Little Shop of Horrors, the soundtrack is every bit as important as the picture. Thankfully, Warner Bros. has given the film a new Dolby Atmos presentation for the Director’s Cut, and the results are quite enjoyable. The musical numbers are the obvious highlight. Vocals are clear and well defined, with the various performers given plenty of room to shine. The backing vocals and instrumental arrangements benefit from a wider, more enveloping soundstage, helping the songs feel fuller and more energetic than a basic stereo presentation could offer. Dialogue remains intelligible throughout, and the mix does a good job of balancing the musical performances with the film’s spoken exchanges.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- To Feed or Not to Feed: For the Love of Little Shop – Director Frank Oz and star Ellen Greene share behind-the-scenes memories from the making of the film and explore what has kept it a beloved classic for 40 years.
- Mean Green Mother – Creating Audrey II – Director Frank Oz, special visual effects artist Bran Ferren, model supervisor Richard Conway, and star Ellen Greene share memories and stories about the world’s most famous man-eating plant: Audrey II.
- Audio Commentary – Director Frank Oz’s commentary track from the DVD has been ported over here. It’s a nice, run-of-the-mill track and if you close your eyes, you’ll hear Yoda.
- Frank Oz and Little Shop of Horrors: The Director’s Cut – Essentially that. We get the director’s cut with over 10 minutes of footage.
- A Story of Little Shop of Horrors – Another from the original disc is this EPK from the mid-80’s that gives us the genesis of the project, leading back to Roger Corman’s days.
- Outtakes and Deleted Scenes – These are presented with optional commentary.
- Director’s Cut Ending – Just the like the above, we get optional commentary by director by Frank Oz.
The Bottom Line
I don’t think I’ve seen this since it first came out on DVD and that’s been a while. I’d forgotten how fun it is, the cast and some of the “shoo bob” songs that made it a worthwhile watch. This new 4K version gives us a few new supplements, a new 4K transfer as well as a Dolby Atmos track. What’s not to love?
