“Feed me.” – Levi Stubbs, Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
My journey to Little Shop of Horrors was a memorable one. It began in 2010 with the release of a cover of the song “Skid Row” featuring two of my favorite musicians: Brendon Urie and Dallon Weekes from Panic! At The Disco*. After listening to the track several times, I needed to find the movie the stage musical was based on. I found Little Shop of Horrors (1960) and watched it. It was twenty minutes into the movie without a musical number in sight that I realized I had the wrong one (but I still enjoyed it). I was able to track down Frank Oz’s 1986 remake on a streaming platform a few days later. Once I entered that odd and darkly fun world, I was glad I did the work to find it.
*Give the cover a listen here!
The story opens in Mushnik’s Flower Shop on Skid Row, an impoverished and neglected neighborhood. The characters include Seymour (Rick Moranis), a timid shopkeeper and exotic plant enthusiast; Audrey (Ellen Greene), a soft-spoken, kindhearted florist in an abusive relationship with a sadistic dentist (Steve Martin); Mr. Mushnik (Vincent Gardenia), the brusque owner of Mushnik’s Flower Shop. After a particularly bad day of business, Mushnik tells Seymour and Audrey to not come in the next day as he was giving up on the shop. To save their jobs, Seymour and Audrey mention an unusual plant that Seymour bought the week before during a solar eclipse. The plant (which Seymour named Audrey II) resembles a Venus fly trap, but Seymour was still figuring out exactly what type of plant it was. They experiment with putting the plant in the window to attract customers. Their plan works immediately when a customer comes in because of the plant and leaves with a large order of roses. More and more customers spot Audrey II and are drawn inside to purchase flowers from the shop. As the workers celebrate their sudden success, Audrey II wilts in Seymour’s arms. Mushnik commands him to fix whatever is wrong with the plant so customers will continue to come.
With the survival of the shop in his hands, Seymour works around the clock to bring Audrey II back to health. It is not until he pricks his finger on a rose that he realizes what will satisfy the plant. Seymour reluctantly offers Audrey II his bleeding finger. The blood brings Audrey II back to life when nothing else will, so Seymour feeds the plant his own blood in secret. Audrey II grows, and much to Seymour’s surprise, develops the ability to speak (voiced by Levi Stubbs). Audrey II becomes more and more demanding as the days go on. Seymour fears he will not be able to keep up what he has created and lose all of the success he has achieved for himself and the shop. Audrey II’s cravings grow out of control, and Seymour must take drastic measures to satisfy it.
In addition to this beloved movie musical still being a sci-fi, horror, and musical classic almost forty years later, it now lives on in a hit Broadway musical. The 1986 movie was nominated for two Oscars: Best Visual Effects and Best Original Song (“Mean Green Mother from Outer Space”). Even its commercial success is surpassed by its cult status among film and musical lovers. Little Shop of Horrors combines horror, the supernatural, high-energy musical numbers, romance, and comedy to create an unmatched film that will continue to be a favorite of audiences everywhere.
Until next time,
Jordan
By Night 