LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS [1986 / 2017] [The Director's Cut + Theatrical Release] [Blu-ray] [USA Release] A Hothouse Full of Laughs!
Meek flower shop assistant Seymour Krelborn [Rick Moranis] pines for co-worker Audrey [Ellen Greene]. During a total eclipse, he discovers an unusual plant he names Audrey II, which feeds only on human flesh and blood. The growing plant attracts a great deal of business for the previously struggling store. After Seymour Krelborn feeds Audrey's boyfriend Orin Scrivello D.D.S. [Steve Martin] to the plant and after Orin Scrivello D.D.S.'s accidental death, Seymour Krelborn must come up with more bodies for the increasingly bloodthirsty plant.
‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ is a comedy, a love story and a cult classic, starring a giant singing plant from outer space – what else could it be but ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS.’ The 1986 film has a surprisingly complex history; it began as a short story, and then became a low-budget film, before turning into an Off-Broadway play, when finally Frank Oz and his team created this quirky, dark screen version. Many fans do not know that this adaption originally had a far more sinister ending, which everyone can now see with Director’s Cut of the film included in this special edition package.
FILM FACT No.1: Awards and Nominations: 1987 Academy Awards: Nomination: Best Effects and Visual Effects for Lyle Conway, Bran Ferren and Martin Gutteridge. Nomination: Best Music, Original Song for Alan Menken (music) and Howard Ashman (lyrics) for the song “Mean Green Mother from Outer Space.” 1987 Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA: Nomination: Saturn Award for Best Horror Film. Nomination: Saturn Award for Best Writing for Howard Ashman. Win: Saturn Award for Best Music for Alan Menken. Nomination: Saturn Award for Best Costumes for Marit Allen. Nomination: Saturn Award for Best Special Effects for Lyle Conway. 1987 Golden Globes, USA: Nomination: Best Motion Picture for Comedy or Musical. Nomination: Best Original Score for Motion Picture for Miles Goodman. 1987 Writers Guild of America, USA: Nomination: WGA Award (Screen) for Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium for Howard Ashman. 1987 Casting Society of America, USA: Nomination: Artios Award for Best Casting for Feature Film, Comedy for Margery Simkin. 1987 Hugo Awards: Nomination: Best Dramatic Presentation for Frank Oz (director), Howard Ashman (screenplay) and Charles B. Griffith (based on the 1960 screenplay). 1987 American Comedy Awards, USA: Nomination: American Comedy Award for Funniest Actor in a Motion Picture (Leading Role) for Steve Martin. Nomination: American Comedy Award for Funniest Actress in a Motion Picture (Leading Role) for Ellen Greene. 1988 BAFTA Awards: Nomination: BAFTA Film Award for Best Special Effects for Bran Ferren, Martin Gutteridge, Lyle Conway and Richard Conway. 2013 Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA: Win: Saturn Award for Best DVD/Blu-Ray Special Edition Release for “The Director's Cut” release.
FILM FACT No.2: ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ was filmed on the Albert R. Broccoli “007 Stage” at the Pinewood Studios in England, where a “downtown” New York set and complete with an overhead train track was constructed. Produced on a budget of $25 million, in contrast to the original 1960 film, which, according to Roger Corman, only cost $30,000, it was well received by critics and audiences alike, eventually developing a cult following. Directed by Frank Oz, the film is based on the off-Broadway stage show of the same name, which in turn is based on a 1960 Roger Corman film, which it largely honours in terms of story. Seymour Krelborn, played by Rick Moranis – ever since immortalised as an 1980’s geek – is a downtrodden orphan working in Mr Mushnik's flower shop and, like everyone else there, is desperately trying to find a way out of Skid Row. The film's original 23-minute finale, based on the musical's ending, was rewritten and reshot after test audiences did not react positively to it. For years only available as a black-and-white work print footage, the original ending was fully restored in 2012 by Warner Home Video and a Director's cut was released.
Cast: Levi Stubbs [Audrey II voice], Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Vincent Gardenia, Steve Martin, Tichina Arnold, Michelle Weeks, Tisha Campbell, Jim Belushi, John Candy, Christopher Guest, Bill Murray, Stan Jones, Bertice Reading, Ed Wiley, Alan Tilvern, John Scott Martin, Vincent Wong, Mak Wilson, Danny Cunningham, Danny John-Jules, Gary Palmer, Paul Swaby, Mildred Shay, Melissa Wiltsie, Kevin Scott, Barbara Rosenblat, Adeen Fogle, Kelly Huntley, Paul Reynolds, Miriam Margolyes, Abbie Dabner, Francis Dux, Peter Whitman, Heather Henson, Judith Morse, Bob Sherman, Doreen Hermitage, Kerry Shale, Robert Arden, Stephen Hoye, Bob Sessions, Michael Shannon, Darrell Broo (uncredited), Russell Brook (uncredited), Lee Crawford (uncredited), Jill Goldston (uncredited), Sergio Kato (uncredited), Maureen Lane (uncredited), Derek Lyons (uncredited), Lee Sheward (uncredited) and Tina Simmons (uncredited)
Director: Frank Oz
Producers: David Geffen, David W. Orton, Denis Holt and William S. Gilmore
Screenplay: Charles B. Griffith (based on the 1960 screenplay), Howard Ashman (screenplay) (based on the musical play "Little Shop of Horrors") and Roger Corman (based on the original film)
Composer: Miles Goodman
Costume Designer: Marit Allen
Make-up Department: Colin Jamison (Chief hairdresser), Daniel Parker (Make-up artist) (uncredited), Dave Elsey (Special make-up effects artist) (uncredited), Jan Jamison (Hairdresser), Paul Engelen (Chief make-up artist) and Sue Love (Hairdresser)
Special Visual Effects Artist: Bran Ferren
Cinematography: Robert William Paynter, B.S.C. (Director of Photography)
Image Resolution: 1080p
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audio: English: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
French: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
German: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Italian: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Spanish [Castilian]: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Spanish [Latin]: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
English: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Subtitles: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish [Castilian] and Spanish [Latin]
Running Time: The Director's Cut [103 minutes] + Theatrical Release [93 minutes]
Region: All Regions
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Warner Bros. / Warner Archive Collection / Geffen Pictures Release
Andrew’s Blu-ray Review: ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ [1986] At the start of the film, a voice over informs us that on the twenty-third day of the month of September, in an year of a decade not too long ago 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 . . .
When Seymour buys a curious plant from a Chinese man for $1.95, life in Skid Row in New York at the Mushnik's Flower Shop gets more exciting. Suddenly he and his acquisition are the talk of the town. But only he knows that the plant, named Audrey II in honour of his colleague Audrey [Ellen Greene] whom Seymour Krelborn [Rick Moranis] is secretly in love with, is carnivorous – and will only feed on human blood.
The carnivorous plant Audrey II grows, Seymour Krelborn becomes more successful. Poverty becomes a thing of the past, and there's a chance he might get the girl of his dreams – but only if he can keep supplying fresh blood to the plant, who is becoming increasingly demanding. Eventually the day comes when squeezing drops of blood from his own fingers doesn't cut it anymore, and Seymour Krelborn must resort to drastic action. But as Audrey II is finally revealed to be a mean, green mother from outta space (intent on world domination no less), it's up to Seymour Krelborn to stop the evil weed.
There's a strong supporting cast, with 1980’s stalwarts such as John Candy, James Belushi and Christopher Guest. And then of course there's Bill Murray, absurdly brilliant as a masochistic dental patient, with Steve Martin playing Audrey's boyfriend, sadistic dentist Orin Scrivello, but he was definitely my ultimate negative character in the film and when his character gets its comeuppance, I cheered and good rubbish to over the top bad acting.
Howard Ashman and Alan Menken are to be thanked for the lyrics and music respectively, with Ashman also writing the screenplay – though their names are probably more associated with late 1980’s and early 1990’s Walt Disney films such as ‘The Little Mermaid,’ ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and ‘Aladdin.’ For me, it's the music that makes ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ so special. It draws on 1960’s Rock'n'Roll, doo-wop and swing, and I think there might even be a bit of calypso in there. My sister's view is that it's "the badass bone-ripping vocals" that make the film. And it's true, the harmonies are sublime. The first time Audrey played by Ellen Greene in the film as well as the off-Broadway and West End stage productions properly lets rip, it's magical; and then of course there's Audrey II himself, voiced by Levi Stubbs from the Four Tops.
‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ is a love story. It's also a story about conquering your demons and discovering the best you can be – even if it takes a blood-guzzling talking plant to get you there. That said, for me it's not really about the story, it's about the experience. Because from the second the liquor bottle in the brown paper bag hits the dirty puddle, and the first fast chords of the keyboard begin, I know for a fact that you will have a “Fantabulous” [excellent and wonderful] time of you and with all the wicked songs throughout the film you will be unashamedly dancing along with tunes smith.
This 1986 film ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ is of course based on the very successful version of the Broadway musical “Little Shop of Horrors” and of course the movie is an entertaining based on the black comedy from the 1960's about a nerdy milquetoast who raises a man-eating plant that gets totally out of control. Rick Moranis is perfection as Seymour Krelborn, the nebbish who is at a loss at what to do when his own Frankenstein plant grows too big for him to control and Ellen Greene is delightful as Audrey, the object of Seymour Krelborn's affections. Rick Moranis and Ellen Greene make one of the most engaging screen teams I've seen in a while. Vincent Gardenia plays the greedy flower shop owner Mr. Mushnik and Bill Murray is hysterically funny in one scene as Arthur Denton, a man who seems to enjoy going to the dentist a little too much. Tischina Arnold, Tisha Campbell, and Michelle Weeks are awesome as the Greek Chorus known as “The Urchins” and Steve Martin practically steals the movie as Orin Scrivello D.D.S., with his song “Be a Dentist” is hysterically funny. The voice of the plant, Audrey II, is provided by Levar Stubbs of The Four Tops and he is superb. A fun musical comedy that the whole family can really enjoy.
What really won me over about ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ is the music and the wonderful composed songs. The story is very interesting, the characters are very entertaining, but I can listen to the soundtrack over and over again without tiring of it. But most of all the songs are so much wonderful fun! Plus, the visual effects used to create Audrey II are quite impressive. This is one of the few times when the film adaptation of a delightfully morbid musical is better than the original movie on which the stage play was based.
‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ is the kind of charming motion picture that can be viewed repeatedly without ever wearing out its welcome (that characteristic is often attributable to musicals). In fact, I probably enjoy the movie more today than I did when it was released, and this is a video that I put to use from time-to-time (instead of letting it gather dust on a shelf). With several triumphant musical numbers, an original villain, a smart and witty script, a cute romance, and a new, upbeat ending, this ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ offers countless delights during its The Director's Cut [103 minutes] or Theatrical Release [94 minutes] running times.
‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ is really a movie that is a great deal of fun to watch over and over again. It was a good move by director Frank Oz to make the sets campy and musical alike. It gives the movie an excellent feeling and atmosphere. Also the way of acting is very campy and over the top which works excellent for the movie. The movie is filled with some nice cameos by famous actors. My favourite cameos were John Candy and Bill Murray both as excellent and fun characters that are good for some serious laughs. The other negative character is played by Steve Martin in one of his most over acted manic character that was so joyous when his character finally gets its comeuppance 100%. Howard Ashman and Alan Menken set the gold standard of movie-based musicals with ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ and Frank Oz delivered a pitch-perfect film adaptation. The music and puppetry are brilliant and the main cast is so appealing that it’s easy to forget the hilarious cameos by John Candy, Christopher Guest, Bill Murray and James Belushi. It’s a thrill to finally see the movie the way it was originally meant to be seen. And, if for some reason you’re partial to the theatrically released version, it’s equally exciting to see and hear it in such high quality. But overall for me personal with the end of the Theatrical Release of the ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ is a very satisfying end to the film, but do view The Director’s Cut as it is equally interesting ens to the film.
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS MUSIC TRACK LIST
PROLOGUE: ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ (Written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken) (Arranged and Adapted by Bob Gaudio and Robby Merkin) [Performed by Michelle Weeks, Tichina Arnold, and Tisha Campbell with Bill Mitchell]
SKID ROW (Downtown) (Written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken) (Arranged and Adapted by Bob Gaudio and Robby Merkin) [Performed by Michelle Weeks, Tichina Arnold and Tisha Campbell, Ellen Greene and Rick Moranis with Donny Gerrard, Bertice Reading, Ed Wiley, Alan Tilvern, John Scott Martin, and Vincent Gardenia]
DA-DOO (Written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken) (Arranged and Adapted by Bob Gaudio and Robby Merkin) [Performed by Rick Moranis, Michelle Weeks, Tichina Arnold, Tisha Campbell and The Do Wops (Nick Curtis, Peter Beckett, Alan Carvell, Phil Nicholl, Lindsay Benson, and Donny Gerrard)
GROW FOR ME (Written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken) (Arranged and Adapted by Bob Gaudio and Robby Merkin) [Performed by Rick Moranis, Michelle Weeks, Tichina Arnold, and Tisha Campbell]
SOMEWHERE THAT’S GREEN (Written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken) (Arranged and Adapted by Bob Gaudio and Robby Merkin) [Performed by Ellen Greene]
SOME FUN NOW (Written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken) (Arranged and Adapted by Bob Gaudio and Robby Merkin) [Performed by Michelle Weeks, Tichina Arnold, and Tisha Campbell]
DENTIST! (Written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken) (Arranged and Adapted by Bob Gaudio and Robby Merkin) [Performed by Steve Martin, Michelle Weeks, Tichina Arnold and Tisha Campbell with Robby Merkin, and Robert Billig]
FEED ME (Git It) (Written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken) (Arranged and Adapted by Bob Gaudio and Robby Merkin) [Performed by Levi Stubbs, Rick Moranis, Michelle Weeks, Tichina Arnold, and Tisha Campbell]
SUPPERTIME (Written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken) (Arranged and Adapted by Bob Gaudio and Robby Merkin) [Performed by Levi Stubbs, Michelle Weeks, Tichina Arnold, and Tisha Campbell]
THE MEEK SHALL INHERIT (Written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken) (Arranged and Adapted by Bob Gaudio and Robby Merkin) [Performed by Rick Moranis, Michelle Weeks, Tichina Arnold and Tisha Campbell with Robby Merkin, Frank Oz, Doreen Hermitage Bob Sessions, Stephen Hoye, Gary Martin, and Bob Sherman]
MEAN GREEN MOTHER FROM OUTER SPACE (Written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken) (Arranged and Adapted by Bob Gaudio and Robby Merkin) [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)
DON’T FEED THE PLANTS (Written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken) (Arranged and Adapted by Bob Gaudio and Robby Merkin) [Performed by Michelle Weeks, Tichina Arnold and Tisha Campbell, with Bill Mitchell]
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Blu-ray Image Quality – Warner Bros. and Warner Archive Collection presents the film ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ with a brilliant 1080p image and of course shown in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The detail will knock your socks off. You'll be able to see every colour, every vein, and every spore on the plant. Not to mention wrinkles and scars on the actors. The flesh tones were very smooth and natural, while the depth of the buildings on set made me think I was actually in a real city. The blacks were deep and inky, which just added to the dirty city feel. The restoration made the colours pop right off the screen. It really made the film take on a life form of its own. I did not notice any halos, aliasing or dirt of any kind. Even the added original ending looked great, with the exception of a few cuts where the source material was in bad shape. This video presentation blew me away. This will definitely be a go-to Blu-ray to show people how crisp and clear Blu-ray can be with older films.
Blu-ray Audio Quality – Warner Bros. and Warner Archive Collection bring us the film ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ and The Director's Cut + Theatrical get a fantastic DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that treats Alan Menken and Howard Ashman's music are just right. Each one of their jaunty compositions bursts out of the surround channels with a renewed vigour and liveliness that should make even the pickiest audiophile smile. Dialogue sounds natural, with that hint of echo from the spacious soundstages the film was shot on. The pitch is perfect and the dynamic range full. It was great to hear the high pitch squeaks of Audrey, and the rumbling of the dentist's motorcycle. The ambient noises of the customers in the shop, and the off screen singing sounds great evenly distributed on the surrounding speakers. This was an excellent audio presentation.
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Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:
Special Feature: Original Theatrical Audio Commentary by Frank Oz [Audio only] [2017] [1080p] [1.85:1] [88:07] With this featurette, we get to hear from director Frank Oz's audio commentary is enthusiastically detailed in its account of the technical challenges of adapting ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ to the screen. This audio commentary is an in-depth look at the Theatrical Release of the film ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ and Frank Oz informs us he was the director of the film and days he has been involved with the project with David Geffen over a very long period of time since 1977 and in 1986 David Geffen asked Frank Oz about making a film of the Off Broadway production, and to get Howard Ashman involved with the Screenplay. Frank Oz now talks about the start of the film, which he says was a very complicated procedure with all the swirling colours in the reflection of the night sky with the stars in the puddle, and now we are in the New York City street scene and says it was all done on the film set at Pinewood Studio and is named the “Broccoli 007 Stage” is one of the largest sound stages in the world and it is located at Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, and named after James Bond film producer Albert R. "Cubby" Broccoli and as the camera moves around Frank Oz wanted us to appreciate the atmosphere at the start of the film and when you see the three girl singers in the rain, he informs us that scene was filmed at the height of winter and when filming stopped they had to rush the three women singers to their dressing room to dry off and warm up. Frank Oz also talks about the amazing film set of New York City and was designed and built by production designer Roy Walker [1931 – 2013] who has had many awards for his work and Frank Oz says he was the best in the business. Frank Oz says a lot of the was shot out of order and also talks about the actor Rick Moranis and wondered whether he could sing in the film and after they cast the actor Rick Moranis then informed them he could sing in the film and really loved singing the types of songs in the film, and Frank Oz said it was a very great blessing. Frank Oz now talks about the guy who built the small Audrey II plant that is put in the shop window and also of course the massive large one at the end of the film and he was Lyle Conway who is a sculptor and designer who began his career with the Muppet TV Show. Frank Oz talks about the tone of the film and found the process very tricky, especially like there are 14 songs in the film and as many in the film ‘My Fair Lady,’ also lots of guest stars and a level of a type of cartoon action and decided to make the film with a mixture of theatre and movie combined and to also create a unique atmosphere and that is why Frank Oz decided to use the “Broccoli 007 Stage” as it was so ideal for the film and he felt it created a unique atmosphere and to be controlled in its own unique environment because of the massive size of the studio. Frank Oz says that the joy of doing this movie is having all the wonderful cameo actors and on top of all that, Rick Moranis and John Candy were very good friends and so Frank Oz was very keen to have these two actors to appear in the movie and frank Oz says that John Candy wore a wig and they both had a great deal of fun and they also had a great time when not being filmed. But Frank Oz also talks about the next size up of the plant when we are in the radio studio with John Candy and Rick Moranis and says the plant was controlled by lots of cables and when the head of the plant lowers its head to try an bite the ass of a woman bending over and Frank Oz says that there are about five people controlling the plant and of course they are off camera viewing a TV Monitor, but of course Frank Oz says that when the plant eventually gets its massive size in the flower shop it is of course controlled by many many people, and in fact he informs us that there are actually 60 people controlling the plant with massive amounts of wires. At chapter 12 we see Steve Martin arrive out of the blue on his motorbike and Frank Oz says he wanted the actor Steve Martin to be totally over the top, more so that the fictional TV character the “Fonzie” and wanted to make Steve Martin’s character to be totally original and a sort of not very bright Elvis character, so when he is eventually bumped off, the audience will have no sympathy for this nasty belligerent bully departed character. Now frank Oz gets round talking about the interesting fact that in England you have the camera operator and the director of photography that are two different jobs and the director of photography basically “paints with light” and the camera operator basically talks to the director of photography about camera movement and set up. But in America Frank Oz says it is totally different set up, because the director of photography does the lighting and also talks about the set ups for the shots and camera movement. In the longer version of the Director’s Cut of the movie, the two heroes get bumped off and the preview audiences hated that situation and were very angry that Rick Moranis and Ellen Greene were bumped off by the plant, so frank Oz had to go back to England to reshoot a “Happy Ending” for the Theatrical Release of the film, and Frank Oz says that was a very hard lesson to learn, as you can’t kill characters the public lover, which is a very powerful emotion for the film. Frank Oz gives great praises Lyle Conway the sculptor and designer on the amazing painting of the giant plant and says that Lyle Conway did a great deal of research on plants and especially for the texture of the giant plant was totally phenomenal. When we get to about 62 minutes into the film, which of course is nearing the end of the film, and frank Oz says this was storyboarded right down to the minute detail, because with the giant plant they had exactly 60 people controlling it with wires and it took about five weeks to shoot near the end of the film. At chapter 21, Frank Oz days he had said pretty much about the film and he hoped you have learnt something interesting about the film and especially the background story of the film, and also informs us that ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ is his favourite movie, and says also “Y am the director and I get a lot of credit for the movie” and also says, “all the people you view in the end credits contributed extraordinary towards the movie he really loves” and also informs us that he had a great deal of fun directing the film, but was also at the same time was a great challenge and also praises the people who made the film happen and at that point the Frank Oz audio commentary comes to an end. This is one of those rare audio commentaries that conveys a sense of the director as a problem solver, and one who frequently depends on other people to deliver the solutions he's imagined. Frank Oz is particularly good at describing how he laboured to retain the musical's original “edgy, off-Broadway” sensibility for the big screen. An essential ingredient was creating the film's own self-contained world, so that even when the characters stepped outdoors, they inhabited a reality crafted to match their odd behaviour. Frank Oz credits Howard Ashman for encouraging him to have the courage not to be subtle and to embrace without apology the fact that characters in ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ burst into song.
Special Feature: Frank Oz and ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ – The Director’s Cut [2017] [1080p] [1.85:1] [10:41] With this featurette, we get to hear this optional audio commentary by Frank Oz on The Director’s Cut 20-minute alternate ending. As the scene we are watching with Rick Moranis carting a dead Ellen Greene towards the giant plant’s open mouth and informs us what you are viewing is The Director’s Cut 20-minute alternate ending and Frank Oz says he wanted to mirror the original ending of the Off Broadway theatre production and this is the scene he had to take out of the end of The Director’s Cut because of the massive negative comments of the preview audiences who were extremely upset, especially seeing the Audrey character being eaten by the giant plant and of course also the Rick Moranis character also being eaten by the giant plant. Howard Ashman’s personal view of the ending of the film, meaning the giant plants won ruling the world, but David Geffen said it wouldn’t work, but in the end David Geffen repeated what Frank Oz and Howard Ashman wanted the film to end, because they both wanted it to be the true ending of the Off Broadway play. On top of all that, Frank Oz thought the ending in his The Director’s Cut movie was like a horror B-Movie, which he loves those types of films and especially when the monsters are destroying planet earth and Frank Oz had to visualise it differently in a more movie like scenario. Frank Oz says he had a lot of in-depth discussion with Richard Conway on how they wanted the destruction of Planet Earth to look like and also there was an in-depth talk about how they wanted the giant plants to look like when walking about and destroying everything in their path, and they feel the special effects were very successful, and also most impressive was the fact that the giant plants looked real and they were also not done by digital effects and was complete live filming and Frank Oz felt it looked totally stunning. Richard Conway felt they reached a high standard of perfection with the giant plants destroying New York City. Frank Oz says that the first day of audience previews and with the last 15 minutes of the giant plants destroying Planet earth, the audiences were giving the film massive thumbs down and were extremely upset what they had viewed is seeing the two people in love Rick Moranis and Ellen Greene were now dead because they were eaten by the giant plant. One of the more interesting bits of information that Frank Oz informs us about his original ending for The Director’s Cut of the movie and says I'd viewed the Theatrical Release of ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ and felt most disappointed about the movie to be the happy Hollywood-ish ending and if you haven't seen The Director’s Cut we see the many giant plants wind up taking over the world. From this featurette, you learn that the director and writer were actually both pushing for that original ending, and it sounds like they still prefer it. The studio was pushing for a happy ending, and test audiences hated the original one, so they went back and filmed the new ending that wound up on the movie. Another interesting bit that's revealed in the commentary is that the biggest plant puppet that they built couldn't move its “lips” fast enough to speak and sing its lines. To fix that, they filmed all the scenes where Audrey II has to speak at 16 frames per second and had it move slower. When the film was played back at regular speed, the plant's lips are now moving at the right speed. For that to work, though, the actors all had to speak and move slowly when they were sharing the screen with the plant. Now, that's a perfectly interesting bit of information, and it is impressive how natural Rick Moranis and Ellen Greene look in those scenes. And even after Frank Oz tells you that a few times, it's still quite interesting. Frank Oz then proceeds to go nuts with it, and pointing out “Ok, this is the 16 frames per second. And this is 24, 16, 24, Still 24. [pause]. 16, 24 and now 16,” and so on, and on, and on. I don't know if he thinks we're all slightly brain damaged and I can't tell when the actors are sharing the screen with the plant, but throughout the whole scene, Frank Oz just keeps going on like that. And just when you think he's had enough of it, Frank Oz then goes back to that little old routine. Ok, so that's just a small part of the audio commentary track. I guess I would recommend this featurette if you're a fan of The Director’s Cut of the movie, just be prepared for a fair amount of repetition. Contributors included: Frank Oz [Director] and Richard Conway [Visual FX Supervisor and Mode Unit].
Special Feature: A Story of ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ [1987] [480i] [1.37:1] [23:04] With this featurette, we get a behind-the-scenes documentary looking at the history the making of the film ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ and of course it all started with the original 1960 black-and-white ‘Little Shio of Horrors’ set on Skid Row in New York at the Mushnik's Flower Shop, where a boy loves a girl, a drill happy dentist and a very very special plant, and is a movie made in 1960 and became a cult classic, the its successful Off Broadway show and now a major motion picture from Warner Bros., and producer David Geffen and this is of course the story about the 1986 film ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS.’ But at the start of this featurette we get a short clip from the original 1960 black-and white film ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ and of course it all began in the famous Mushnik's Flower Shop. But of course in the 1986 film ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ and it all happens again in the famous Mushnik's Flower Shop in Skid Row in New York and of course some extraordinary event happens and again the basic synopsis is about a boy, a girl and a plant with a very strange taste in food. We get to hear about the origin of the original 1960 black-and-white ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ which was originally directed by Roger Corman and we get to meet Roger Corman and he explains in detail how his film evolved, but mainly made the film as a joke, and explains that he was having lunch with a particular person who had a spare space in a rental studio in Hollywood and heard that they had just finished shooting a film and Roger Corman knew that what the sets were like, and wanted to use those finished sets of the film they had just finished shooting, and Roger Corman told this person he could shoot his film in two days and the person he spoke to did not believe his boast. But after a hurried conference with Charles B. Griffith [American screenwriter, actor and film director], came up with the idea of the blood eating plant, and Charles B. Griffith wrote the script in two weeks and Roger Corman made a deal with the actors for the film to pay them a week’s salary and they rehearsed Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and shot the film on a Thursday and Friday, but had to shoot some extra night footage and then the film was finished shooting. But of course from the Roger Corman film came the very successful Off Broadway production of “Little Shop of Horrors” which of course became a massive Broadway success and has had a continuous run even to this day and David Geffen was behind the Off Broadway successful production, and thought at the time is was a crazy idea, but descried to give the Off Broadway production the green light, and especially as it was going to be a musical, but at first he thought it was not really a good idea, but of course he was proved wrong, as the Off Broadway production was a world-wide successful phenomenon hit and we get to hear from the enthusiastic audiences that had just been to see Off Broadway production of “Little Shop of Horrors” and gave it the thumbs up and saying it was a totally amazing awesome show and experience. Roger Corman says he went to see the Off Broadway production shortly after it opened and really enjoyed the show very much and thinks it is very funny, it is very fast, its irreverent and feels it has the quality of his original black-and-white film and it basically followed the original script of Charles B. Griffith for the original black-and-white film very well. After the massive success of the original Off Broadway production, David Geffen decided it should be turned into a big blockbuster movie, and says he wants to only make it for $6,000,000 and definitely no frills and of course it never it never happened, but instead it went well over budget, but despite this, but of course it became one of the most successful motion picture of the year in 1986. So to expand the ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ for the scope of the big movie screen and so David Geffen got together to top design team and especially the Academy Award Winning Designer Roy Walker and of course built a complete New York street on the Albert R. Broccoli “007 Stage” at the Pinewood Studios in England studio sound stage and it took them three months to build the complete set to an exact replica of “Skid Row” in Manhattan and David Geffen brought in the most professional special effects people in the movie business industry and also the most up to date technical equipment used in filming, and David Geffen wanted the top director and of course signed up Frank Oz because he felt he could really open up the movie, especially with the Off Broadway show that of course it all happens mainly in the Mushnik's Flower Shop. To really create the role of Seymour Krelborn, David Geffen and frank Oz want to the actor Rick Moranis who mad such a big impact in the film ‘Ghostbusters’ and they were very happy to secure Rick Moranis, and Rick Moranis was more than happy to take on the role of Seymour Krelborn and felt it was a tremendous role. They were also very keen to secure the actress Ellen Greene, who originated the role of Audrey in the Off Broadway production and also on the London stage of “Little Shop of Horrors” and of course was very keen to sign up to recreate her role as Audrey in the movie and Ellen Greene says she screamed bloody murder when she heard she had got the role of Audrey in the movie, but certain important persons behind the scenes wanted to know why can’t they secure Barbra Streisand for the role of Audrey, but David Geffen was 100% adamant that Ellen Greene should play the role of Audrey, especially because of her great success in the Off Broadway production. Frank Oz felt the movie would be even more successful was the have the three black singers appearing throughout the movie would make the movie something really extra special and would help the story move along and make it a very stylish movie. They say that one of the highlights of the original black-and-white film and also having the stage version of the character of the sadistic dentist included, bit more so with the actor Steve Martin as the sadistic dentist and they say he was a dentist to really remember, but to me personally it was not for me, as I hated and detested his character in the film and I was so pleased when his character was finally bumped off. But they say that the dentist scene in the Off Broadway production and in the black-and-white film were comic highlights, but more so with the actor Steve Martin and Rick Moranis performances, and Rick Moranis thought Steve Martin’s performance was totally hilarious, well I totally disagree with that comment, as Steve Martin’s performance was way too over the top for my liking, and in the end his character was totally vindictive and narcissistic character. But the commentator says that there would not be any horror in the film without a rapidly growing Audrey II plant and to create the plant in all of its stages and including lip sync vocalising that was the technical challenge of the animatronic wizard Lyle Conway and by the time he had finished, he had made 15,000 hand painted leaves, 2,000 feet of vine and eleven and half miles length of cable, and Lyle Conway felt he had created a high end mechanical hand operative movement, and mentions that there was seven sizes of the plant Audrey II. Lyle Conway also says that he had his hardest challenge in creating the larger and larger plants that had to move to feel make it feel like real movement and to make the plant feel it was really alive, and when the actors are working with the massive big plant, they feel plant is taking on with a true human emotion and the actors think they are working with a really ugly and weird guy with a massive big green head, and because as they get to work with the massive large plant, they tend to forget it is being operated by a great number of people behind the great massive mechanical plant. Rick Moranis says that he hopes the audiences when seeing the film will get the experience with many different emotions and also says I hope they feel at the end of the movie they get to feel total satisfaction with the whole movie, and Rick Moranis feels it will take the audiences through a lot of emotions, because there is a love story going on between two of the main characters, but there is also a horror story going on and hopefully they are going to also experience a whole lot of things going on. Narrator Ed Bishop says that from that two day black-and-white wonder film ‘Little Shop of Horrors,’ to an International stage success, to the modern motion picture of great success, which is of course the movie ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS,’ and also says there is of course a massive singing plant, a dancing hero, a sweet girl and an over the top demented dentist and it is the most outrageous musical comedy in years. But on top of all that, we get lots of candid snippets from the cast, producer David Geffen, and director Frank Oz. Also, we get to see the creation of the sets and Audrey II, as well as some scenes of the crew operating the puppets, which are a plus in my book. What is a little sad is that even though it is a musical, we don’t get any clips of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken talking about developing the Off-Broadway production, or even Howard Ashman talks about translating the production to the big screen. This is a pretty cool featurette, but at the same time very dated. Contributors include: Ed Bishop [Narrator], Roger Corman [Director], David Geffen [Producer], Frank Oz [Director], Rick Moranis [Seymour Krelborn], Ellen Greene [Audrey] and Lyle Conway [Sculptor and Designer]. This featurette was The Geffen Film Company Production.
Special Feature: Outtakes and Deleted Scenes [1986] [480i] [1.37:1] [8:42] With this featurette, we get to view the usual idiotic mishmash of some fun outtakes and deleted scenes from the film ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS,’ but also a bonus optional audio commentary by Frank Oz. There are flubbed lines, and all the actors having fun on set and laughing. There are even a couple cheeky shots in there as well. There was even supposed to be a dream sequence for the song “The Meek Shall Inherit,” and we see a few seconds of the crew dancing through the smoky atmosphere. There’s also a funny scene where we see two enormous Audrey II’s terrorizing New York, and off to the side, an enormous human hand sprinkling dust and debris down. Not sure why it advertises deleted scenes as there were none besides the one 20 minute alternate original ending. There are some decent laughs here. It looks like everyone had a really good time.
Special Feature: The Director’s Cut Ending with Audio Commentary with Frank Oz [1998] [1089p] [1.85:1] [22:01] With this featurette, we get to hear this audio commentary with Director Frank Oz that Frank Oz recorded in 1998 for the DVD release, where he discusses the original ending, over the black-and-white footage that he provided for the DVD release. Back then, the audio track was used was temporary audio track with just basic vocals and some music. It may sound odd when Frank Oz begins saying things like “we would have music here,” and “there would be plenty of sound effects there,” and you can faintly hear them from the newly-revised ending. On top of all that, Frank Oz congratulates all the professional people who worked on the giant plant in such an amazing professional job, and also talks in-depth on why he wanted to film the extra footage to the film with The Director’s Cut version of the film. So if you want to learn something about the extra footage, then this featurette is a must view.
Special Feature: Theatrical Trailers: With this featurette, we get to view two alternative Original Theatrical Trailers for the film ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ and they are as follows:
Theatrical Trailer [1986] [480i] [1.85:1] [1:09]
Trailer [1986] [1080p] [2.35:1] [2:07]
Finally, with ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ [1986] there are some wonderful delightful aspects of how the film blends tragic characters and bloody murder with a genuine, heartfelt romance — an unlikely balance facilitated by Frank Oz’s direction, as well as Howard Ashman and Alan Menken’s composed musical songs. The endearing characters and songs overcome the story’s grimmer details, so it never feels heavy in spite of its subject matter. Never mind the comically transgressive details of Audrey’s abuse at the hand of a power-mad and perverse dentist Orin Scrivello D.D.S.; Seymour Krelborn’s willingness to murder, however weak-willed his attempt; and the sexual current pulsing through the entire story, from Audrey’s past to Audrey II’s various come-ons. Its seedier details — such as the somehow yet-unmentioned appearance by Bill Murray as the sadomasochist Arthur Denton who unnerves even Orin Scrivello D.D.S. with his erotic joy for pain — oddly enhance the innumerable charms of these characters. The memorable songbook, too, furthers the audience’s desire to revisit the 1986 film again and again. Indeed, ‘LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS’ is a cabinet of wonderful curiosities; its shelves filled to the brim with influences and the potential for varied readings, whether they dismantle the film through its uses of race or embolden its structure as a Greek tragedy. But the film’s intertextuality remains secondary to its humanity, the intimacy of its musical numbers, and it’s million other delights that demand to be cherished. All in all, I absolutely loved this movie, and I’m kind of upset I didn’t go out of my way to see it sooner. This movie is a hysterical parody of 1950’s monster movies that boasts hysterical moments, cameos, and unforgettably catchy songs, and wears its huge sentimental heart on its sleeve, as you will experience something totally outrageous and something totally unique. Very Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
