Seymour Krelborn resided in Skid Row and worked at Mushnik’s. The flower shop was on thin ice. Yet, a mysterious plant from Chang’s was purchased by him. It was appeared unexpectedly during a total eclipse of the sun. Then, he showed it to Mr. Mushnik and it became window dressing. Business became red hot but the plant needed a name. Audrey was Seymour’s crush. Thus, the plant was dubbed Audrey II.
Audrey II defied logic and any horticultural text that Seymour encountered. What was she really? What would make this plant thrive? What did Audrey see in Orin Scrivello, D.D.S?
Little Shop of Horrors was directed by Frank Oz (yes, Yoda and Miss Piggy’s alter ego). The film was based on the Off Broadway musical written by Howard Ashman (book and lyrics) and Alan Menken (music). The cult classic (Off Broadway) was based on Roger Corman’s 1960 film that starred Jack Nicholson.
Rick Moranis (yes from SCTV) relished in the role of Seymour and showed that he was more than Bob Mckenzie. He was given a great advisory in Steve Martin. Martin ate the scenery as Orin Scrivello, a sadomasochistic dentist. They both yearned for the lovely Ellen Greene. She played the naive Audrey to a key and had the signature ballad of “Somewhere That’s Green”.
However, the real star of the film was the late Levi Stubbs as Audrey II. He belted out the Oscar-nominated “Mean Green Mother from Outer Space” and other songs including “Suppertime” & “Feed Me (Get It)”.
The film was the perfect marriage of camp, horror and musical gold. Menken and Ashman would receive their first Oscar nomination for “Mean Green Mother from Outer Space”. They lost to “Take My Breath Away” from Top Gun. Audrey II should’ve ate that flight instructor and Maverick just so Goose could live. Yet, Menken and Ashman would gain Oscar gold for Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” and “Beauty and the Beast”.
This film marked an atypical collaboration between SCTV (Second City TV) and Saturday Night Live. The hilarious players from both comedy troupes included Bill Murray, John Candy and Christopher Guest.
However, the most strangest aspect of this film was the ending. Frank Oz spent $8 million of the $25 million budget for “Don’t Feed The Plants”. The musical number was a sad ending that test audiences hated. Viewers wanted the Hollywood ending. Yet, film fans got their wish when a Director’s Cut was released in 2013.
On August 21, 2017, the United States experienced its first total eclipse in 99 years. The path of totality was 70 miles wide and stretched from the Pacific to the Atlantic Coast. It was a phenomena like no other this century in America. For the love of all humanity, let’s hope that no plants were purchased on this day.
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