PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Audrey II turns 30! Released 30 years ago on December 19, 1986, Little Shop Of Horrors brought us catchy music, an all-star cast, and a weird but wonderful story. The first time I saw this movie, I immediately downloaded the soundtrack, and to this day, Little Shop of Horrors is still one of my favorite horror musicals.
(Synopsis provided by IMDb.com): Seymour Krelborn (Rick Moranis: Honey I Shrunk The Kids 1989) is a nerdy orphan working at a flower shop. He harbors a crush on his co-worker, Audrey (Ellen Greene: The Professional 1994). One day, Seymour discovers a very mysterious, unidentified Venus flytrap-type plant that he named Audrey II after his crush. The plant soon has a craving for blood and begins to sing for his supper.
Little Shop Of Horrors was directed by Frank Oz, who is no stranger to comedy. He brought us Dirty Rotten Scoundrels in 1988 and Death At A Funeral in 2007, although he’s probably mostly known for his acting skills and voice-over work as Miss Piggy in various Muppets specials. Horror fans might also recognize him as the man from the American Embassy in An American Werewolf In London (1981).
Obviously the most iconic character in this movie is the vampire plant, Audrey II. When Audrey II opened his mouth, I really didn’t expect Levi Stubbs’ voice to be coming out, but his singing and attitude were perfect for the role! John Candy, Steve Martin, and Bill Murray were also spot on for their characters and it was a wonderful surprise to see them in Little Shop Of Horrors.
In celebration of the 30th anniversary, here are some fun facts on this underrated cult classic:
1. The original script called for Audrey and Seymour to be eaten by Audrey II. Frank Oz reluctantly had it changed after negative reactions from test audiences. The alternate ending featured extensive model shots of Audrey II wreaking havoc on the city to a song called “Don’t Feed the Plants.” You can find the original ending here.
2. The Old Woman who begins the song “Skid Row (Downtown)” is Tony-nominated singer/actress/comedienne Bertice Reading. It’s been erroneously noted that her voice was dubbed over by Michelle Weeks, who played Ronette, but this is false. In fact, Bertice sang her part in the song live on set. She also provided the vocals on the soundtrack. This was Bertice’s final film appearance before her death in 1991.
3. The filmmakers originally offered the role of Audrey to Cyndi Lauper before casting original stage star Ellen Greene. Madonna was also reportedly considered.
4. Frank Oz made a cameo as the salesman who tried to get Seymour to sign a contract during the song “The Meek Shall Inherit.”
I was introduced to Little Shop Of Horrors just four years ago. I can’t believe it was out for a quarter of a century before I even saw it! This film is actually a remake of a 1960 horror film with the same name. Frankly, I think the 1986 musical was perfect and there’s no need for it to be remade. Little Shop Of Horrors withstood the test of time. If they ever do decide to remake this film, I just hope they do it justice!
