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Little Shop of Horrors was originally a Roger Corman movie filmed in two days from the 1960’s. It was remade in the 1980’s as a musical by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, who also did the lyrics and the music for Disney’s The Little Mermaid and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. It works out a lot better than expected. Rick Moranis works in a flower shop and one day decides to buy a new plant. He names it Audrey II after a girl he admires. Audrey is going out with Steve Martin, an abusive dentist who treats his patients brutally (Billy Murray being an example). The story mirrors Faust as Audrey II starts to talk and offer Moranis riches beyond his wildest dreams in exchange for human bodies! This musical also has lots of songs. The songs are all pretty funny, but some of them can be too long (Suddenly Seymour, Mean Green Mother From Outer Space). Mean Green Mother From Outer Space was actually nominated for an Oscar. Also interesting is the fact the movie originally had a darker ending where the plants took over the world, but test audiences hated it so much they had to shoot a new ending. There are a few songs missing from the original stage musical, but none are vital to the plot. I really enjoy this musical, but many would find it cheesy. I give Little Shop of
Horrors (The Musical) **** out of ****. |