The 1986 musical film Little Shop of Horrors has an interesting backstory. The original movie wasn't a musical. It was a cheap Roger Corman horror/comedy filmed on leftover sets over a few days. Jack Nicholson was in a small part, which is probably the main reason the film is even remembered today. Well, that and the fact that, for some reason in the early 1980s, someone saw this goofy 1960 movie and thought it would be a great basis for an off-Broadway musical. The show premiered in 1982, and it became the basis for the 1986 movie. So the movie is based on a play that is based on a movie.

Now, at this point I should mention that for this review I watched the director's cut of the movie. The original movie has a traditional happy ending with Seymour and Audrey stopping an invasion of alien plants that eat humans. It was fun and had the obligatory little twist at the end when we see a small Audrey II bulb in their front lawn. The director's cut, however, adds a whole other dark layer of fun to the movie. It was deemed too dark for audiences in the 80s, though I can't help but wonder if it would have turned the movie into even more of a cult classic. If you haven't seen the director's cut and don't want spoilers, stop reading now.


Watching the movie as an adult, I also picked up more jokes than I did as a kid. For instance, the three girls that act as a sort of Greek chorus and sing the narration for the movie are named Ronette, Crystal, and Chiffon. For those who are unaware, these were the names of three girl groups popular in the early 60s, which is when the movie is set. There were also some jokes between Audrey and the dentist she is dating (played wonderfully and hysterically by Steve Martin) that suggest that they engage in some kinky stuff in the bedroom. As much fun as this movie was as a kid, it is even better as an adult. The songs are catchy as heck. If you've never seen the director's cut, do yourself a favor and watch it. If you've never seen the movie at all, do yourself a favor and watch both versions. If you have seen both versions, watch them again anyway, because they are awesome.
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