THE CAST
Rick Moranis
Ellen Greene
Vincent Gardenia
Steve Martin
James Belushi
John Candy
Christopher Guest
Bill Murray
Michelle Weeks
Tichina Arnold
Tisha Campbell
Seymour Krelborn
Audrey
Mr. Mushnik
Orin Scrivello
Agent
Wink Winkeleman
1st Customer
Arthur Denton
Ronette
Crystal
Chiffon
And Levi Stubbs as the Voice of Audrey 2

THE CREW
Frank Oz
David Geffen
Howard Ashman
Alan Menken
Miles Goodman
William Gilmore
Bob Gaudio
Director
Producer
Book/Lyrics
Music
Movie Score
Line Producer
Music Producer

THE SONGS
The Prologue

On the 23rd Day of the Month of September in an early year of a decade not too long before our own, the human race suddenly encountered a deadly threat to its very existence, and this terrifying enemy surfaced as such enemies often do in the seemingly most innocent and unlikely of places...

The opening narration scrolls up over a starfield. Gradually a nebula becomes more prominent, clouding the image. As the narration concludes, the image is disrupted by an empty liquor bottle thrown into a cloudy mud puddle. It is the first of  several wonderful match cuts. The narration in the film is performed by Stanley Jones, but the narration on the soundtrack album is - in true Orson Welles fashion - done by Bill Mitchell... The musical entertainment begins...

Little Shop
of Horrors

The title song is musical background to the opening credits and serves to briefly introduce some characters and situations. For example, we see that Crystal, Ronnette and Chiffon - Little Shop's Greek chorus- have the magical ability to be anywhere they need to be in order to comment on the action. Even as a heavy rain falls on skid row, the girls remain dry... Also, we meet Mr. Mushnik - the flower shop proprietor - reading a newspaper- The Skid Row Herald whose headline reads "UNEXPECTED TOTAL ECLIPSE- End of the World?"

The title song ends as the girls descend to the flower shop cellar where we meet Seymour...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skid Row
(Downtown)
This beautifully realized number economically accomplishes several tasks.
First, we again see the magical qualities of our Greek chorus. Their street clothes are wondrously transformed into 'performing pinks' without the benefit of a camera cut. And, each character appearance is in rhythm and conjunction with the vocals - a logistical feat that is amazingly employed throughout the film. The background vocalists are always seen.

Second, the song immerses us into the decaying urban atmosphere of Skid Row —its sights, sounds and its inhabitants. Through interesting camerawork, you sense that every person you see has their own intriguing story, but this movie will focus on two of them, Audrey and Seymour. There are no "extras" in this piece.

Finally, we learn that Audrey and Seymour—like other Ashman/Menken characters (Eliot Rosewater in God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, Ariel in The Little Mermaid, Belle in Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin) - both realize that there is more to life and yearn to be free of their respective prisons "where depression is just status-quo."

Da-Doo
Here we are introduced to Audrey II, a plant prominently displayed in the flower shop window and attracting the attention of various passersby. The first to notice - Christopher Guest in a hilarious cameo- asks Seymour where he got the plant. The song is a monologue for Seymour with assistance by our Greek chorus - now dressed as Geishas - and a street-corner quintet singing counterpoint responses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grow for Me
Audrey II manipulates Seymour by pretending to be sick. Throgh song, Seymour begs Audrey II to grow.

The plant's growing effect was achieved both mechanically and through forced perspective.

Somewhere
That's Green
After Audrey is beaten by her boyfriend, the Greek Chorus - in urchin clothing - suggests that she dump the guy and go after Seymour. She sings a sweet song in which she envisions a life with Seymour - A song containing a hilarious white picket fence montage complete with Tupperware, animated birds and prop trees. All elements of the middle-class life she longs for. Ellen Greene created the role of Audrey off-Broadway and is equally stupendous here. The last line of the song has Audrey singing by her skid-row window. The camera pulls away as a bum passes by. Back to reality. The camera moves up to the rooftop for...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some Fun Now
Crystal, Ronnette and Chiffon are up on the rooftops commenting on Seymour's misfortune. In order to keep 'successful', he is forced to feed his own blood to the rapidly growing Audrey II. The song lightens up the bloodletting montage and includes an energetically charged dance section.

 

Dentist
Enter Audrey's successful greaser semi-sadist boyfriend, Orin Scrivello... uh... DDS. The number reveals his pleasure in others pain as well as the maniacal glee he takes by causing it. Steve Martin is perfect for the physical comedy required to pull off the part. The dentist office production design is done entirely in black and white, which frighteningly places it in reality. (One shot worth noting is a point of view angle from inside a patient's mouth looking out at Orin and our Greek Chorus, now dressed as dental assistants.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feed Me
Aaah. So now, the five-foot tall plant can talk and sing. And what does it sing about? Satisfying its insatiable appetite for fresh blood, naturally. The interactions between Seymour and Audrey II are truly amazing. Today, a scene like this would almost certainly be accomplished by computer animation. However, in 1986 numerous puppeteers controlled the ravenous plant as it was being filmed at 16 frames per second, so that during projection at 24 frames per second, its movements would seem fast and fluid. In order to make Seymour appear to move at normal speed during this slower process, Moranis had to lip-sync and act at a much slower pace. After Seymour and the plant watch as Orin furiously kicks-in the door, we can see a red neon light that neatly suggests the anger and rage building in Seymour. (Originally, Orin was to use his hand to open the door, but during one take, the glass broke, cutting Martin's hand.)

Suddenly Seymour
This tongue-firmly-in-cheek number (and definite film highlight) showcases Oz's strong theatrical blocking for Audrey, Seymour, and the camera. Sung in a dilapidated skid row building, the scene is full of interesting objects to shoot around. Like he did for "Downtown," Oz keeps both performers in the same camera shot, even if one of the actors stands up or ascends a staircase—no doubt a technical nightmare resulting in an aesthetically satisfying effect. Near the climax of the song, our Greek Chorus appears in the background, like in so many scenes before, just in time to chime in with their vocals. A brief reprise of this number augments the unused "happy" ending.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Suppertime
Now over 9 feet tall, the plant once again sings about eating. The 16 frame per second filming process is still used here. Because of its size and complexity, the plant now takes about 60 puppeteers to bring it to life.

The Meek
Shall Inherit
This number shows a successful Seymour Krelborn hounded by business slimes who want to exploit him. Our Greek Chorus make appearances dressed as secretaries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mean Green Mother Form Outer Space
In this number we learn where Audrey II comes from: outer space—gasp!
Performed by the plant and backed-up vocally by its own singing buds, this clever number culminates in the plant's demise by Seymour's heroic hand.

 

Crystal, Ronnette and Chiffon
This song was written to be played over the closing credits. It asked the question 'so, what happened to those girls...?' It was cut but musical passages from it still exist in the score.
Don't Feed
the Plants
This piece was attached to the original 'unhappy' ending and was cut when the 'happy' ending was thrown in. A musical treatment by the late Miles Goodman is attached to the original destruction of the world section.

 

FROM STAGE
TO SCREEN

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS is now alive on Broadway! But if you can't get to New York, or catch teh National Tour, or if you just hate going to the theatre, you are stuck with regional productions and the film version for home viewing enjoyment.

And as far as the film goers, it is an absolute pleasure. Easily one of the best Movie Musicals of the past 50 years, it always brings a smile. Much of the charm certainly comes form the 'hip' score and book. But, it cannot be forgotten what a great cast populates the story. Rick Moranis, a natural Seymour, works very well whether he is under the drill of Steve Martin's dentist, under the sights of a killer plant, or under the spell of his dreamgirl, Audrey. She is played by the fabulous Ellen Greene, recreating her Off-Broadway performance. Even smaller cameo roles are pleasant. The whole thing under the careful hand of muppeteer Frank Oz. His direction has a built-in musical rhythm that saturates the film.

The film is based on the off-Broadway smash of the same name, but their were several changes in the transition. Here are some of the changes:

The flower shop song "Ya Never Know" has been replaced with dialogue,"Some Fun Now" and a funny radio program featuring John Candy as a multitalented disc jockey.

Mushniks song "Mushnik & Son" has been cut. In fact the father/son concept never appears in the film.

The Dentists Dying Song "Now (it's Just the Gas)" has been cut and replaced with Steve Martin supplying antics.

The Song 'Closed for renovation' has been deleted. With the changes in the story, it no longer moved forward.

The Arthur Denton/Orin Scrivello scene has been enhanced to allow for Bill Murray's improvisational comedic skills to be presented.

The stage ending has both Audrey and Seymour killed by the plant. Then, the plant gets to fulfill its destiny by taking over the world. This ending was actually filmed and the big-budget rampage of several Audrey IIs attacking New York is very impressive, although incomplete.


Preview audiences felt uncomfortable losing their friends. On stage, viewers can't get intimate with the performers as the can with the film where you can zoom in on someone's face on a 20 foot screen.


The creative team agreed to shoot a new 'happy ending' that we now see. That original ending was briefly available on the first Little Shop DVD release, but was quickly pulled off shelves for legal reasons. Occasionally, you can find a copy for sale on auction websites like ebay, but be prepared to spend over $100 US.

The Oscar nominated song "Mean Green Mother from Outer Space" was written directly for the screen. There was a similar song called "Bad"in the original production but it was cut...

If you would like to discuss the show, the film or this website send an e-mail here.

Movie Musicals

THE STORE
Now Go Git it!
Order the Motion Picture on VHS here. Click on the picture on the left...
Order Little Shop here
Order The DVD of the Motion Picture here
Order the sheet music to the film. Click on the picture on the left...
Some Fun Now!
Order the Motion Picture Soundtrack on CD. Click on the picture on the left...
Order LOST IN BOSTON IV CD. Includes "Bad"and "A Little Dental music" cut from the show . Click on the picture on the left...
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Order the Alan Menken Album CD. Debbie Shapiro Gravitte sings "Crystal, Ronnette and Chiffon" (which was cut from the film.) Click on the picture on the left...
Order the New Broadway cast album on CD. Click on the picture on the left... B000000OMF.gif (15947 bytes) Order the original Off-Broadway cast album on CD. Click on the picture on the left...
Order the Karaoke Sing-Along of Little Shop of Horrors. Click on the picture on the left...
The black and white non-musical DVD Order the original black and white Motion Picture on DVD here. (Not the musical) Click on the picture on the left...