Little Shop of Horrors

“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? Shy, nerdy Seymour works in a run-down flower shop of Skid Row, spending his time doing menial tasks and daydreaming about his coworker, Audrey. Then, one day, just after a solar eclipse, Seymour purchases a strange plant. The exotic plant draws in customers, saving the flower shop from bankruptcy and making Seymour a hero in Audrey’s eyes. But the plant has a rather unique appetite… and it’s getting interested in Audrey too.”

There are few movies that manage to combine horror, comedy, romance, and musical theater as successfully as Little Shop of Horrors. Frank Oz’s 1986 adaptation of the Off-Broadway musical is one of those rare films that feels completely unique in the musical genre, balancing catchy songs, eccentric characters, dark humor, and some of the most impressive practical creature effects of its era. Nearly 40 years later, it remains an absolute classic, and Warner Bros. has finally brought the film to 4K UHD with both the theatrical cut and the director’s cut included.

Based on the musical by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, itself inspired by Roger Corman’s 1960 horror comedy, the film follows Seymour Krelborn, played by Rick Moranis, a timid florist working at a struggling flower shop on Skid Row. Seymour has a crush on his coworker Audrey, played by Ellen Greene, but neither seems particularly capable of escaping the hand that life has dealt them. Everything changes when Seymour discovers an unusual plant during a solar eclipse. He names it Audrey II, and the strange plant quickly becomes the attraction that saves the flower shop from financial ruin.

There’s just one problem. Audrey II needs blood to survive, and its appetite grows along with its size. What begins as Seymour feeding the plant a little of his own blood eventually becomes a much more demanding arrangement, as Audrey II develops the ability to speak, sing, and manipulate Seymour into providing more substantial meals.

It’s a fun premise, especially for a musical, but it works. The story is absurd, yet Seymour’s longing for a better life and Audrey’s desire to escape her abusive relationship give the movie a surprisingly strong emotional foundation. The songs are memorable, the comedy is funny, and the horror elements are genuinely effective.

Frank Oz deserves a tremendous amount of credit for bringing all these different elements together. Best known at the time for his work as a puppeteer with Jim Henson, including performing Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear, Oz had already demonstrated his abilities as a director with The Dark Crystal and The Muppets Take Manhattan. Little Shop of Horrors gave him the opportunity to combine his experience with puppetry and comedy with a more traditional live-action production.

Rick Moranis is perfectly cast as Seymour. His nervous energy, awkward mannerisms, and natural likability make him an ideal protagonist. Seymour isn’t a traditional hero, and his willingness to make increasingly terrible decisions is part of what makes the story more dimensional.

Ellen Greene, reprising the role she originated onstage, is equally wonderful as Audrey. Her distinctive voice and vulnerable performance give the character an almost childlike quality, naïve and sympathetic. Her rendition of “Somewhere That’s Green” is one of the film’s emotional highlights, revealing Audrey’s modest dream of escaping Skid Row for a simple, comfortable suburban life. It’s a genuinely touching moment in a movie filled with a giant plant eating people.

Then there’s Steve Martin as Orin Scrivello, the sadistic dentist who is also Audrey’s abusive boyfriend. Martin is absolutely hilarious in the role, embracing the character’s exaggerated cruelty and manic energy. His musical number, “Dentist!”, is one of the film’s funniest sequences, and Martin makes his participation one of the best parts of the film.

Of course, the real star of the film is Audrey II. In an era when a production of this kind could easily have relied on optical effects or stop-motion animation, Oz and his effects team built an elaborate series of practical puppets that could convincingly interact with the actors. The plant grows throughout the story, requiring different versions for its various stages, each with its own mechanical challenges. The puppetry is astonishing. Audrey II’s movements, facial expressions, and enormous mouth give the creature a physical presence that makes it feel alive.

One of the biggest reasons to pick up this 4K release is that it includes both the theatrical cut and the director’s cut, allowing viewers to experience the film with the original ending that Frank Oz and Howard Ashman intended.

Video

Warner Bros. has given Little Shop of Horrors a new 4K restoration, presented in 2160p with Dolby Vision and HDR10. Both the theatrical cut and the director’s cut are included, running approximately 94 and 103 minutes.

It’s an excellent transfer. The film’s intentionally grimy sets, rundown storefronts, and Skid Row environments benefit from the additional detail, while the costumes and Audrey II’s intricate construction look fantastic. You can appreciate the texture of the creature’s skin, the craftsmanship of its enormous mouth, and the mechanical details that help bring it to life.

The HDR presentation also gives the musical numbers a welcome boost. The film’s colors are not uniformly bright, since much of the story takes place in deliberately dingy surroundings, but the contrast between those locations and the more colorful sequences is particularly effective.

Audio

The 4K release includes a new Dolby Atmos soundtrack, a highlight since this is a musical. The songs feel like they have a definitely larger presence, while the mix adds depth to the film’s music and sound effects.

Special Features

The release includes a solid collection of new and previously available bonus material. Although not terribly long, it’s always nice to get new material for these older films.

The release we were given to review was the standard 4k, which comes with a slip-cover, digital code, and 4k disc only. There is also a Steelbook version available for those die-hard collectors.

• To Feed or Not to Feed: For the Love of Little Shop
• Mean Green Mother: Creating Audrey II
• Original Theatrical Commentary by Frank Oz
• Frank Oz and Little Shop of Horrors: The Director’s Cut
• A Story of Little Shop of Horrors
• Outtakes and Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary
• Director’s Cut Ending with Optional Commentary by Frank Oz

Little Shop of Horrors remains one of the best musical comedies out there. Rick Moranis and Ellen Greene give the film its heart, Steve Martin delivers one of his most memorable comedic performances, and Levi Stubbs makes Audrey II an unforgettable villain. The supporting cast adds even more personality, while the puppetry remains a remarkable achievement that still holds up today.

For fans of the film, this is an easy recommendation. It’s a classic that remains funny, twisted, and endlessly entertaining, and Warner Bros. has given it the kind of 4K release it deserves. This one is out now.