Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
Seymour Krelborn is a nerdy orphan working at Mushnik's; a flower shop in urban Skid Row. He harbors a crush on fellow co-worker, Audrey Fulquard, and is berated by Mr. Mushnik daily. One day, Seymour finds a very mysterious unidentified plant which he calls Audrey II. The plant seems to have a craving for blood and soon begins to sing for it’s supper.
Little Shop of Horrors is a genuinely distinctive cult musical-horror-comedy that stands apart through its irreverent tone, memorable Rick Moranis and Steve Martin performances, and Alan Menken's outstanding doo-wop score. The practical puppetry for Audrey II remains a landmark achievement in creature effects. The plot is fairly simple and stagey by design, and the film's theatrical origins keep the cinematography functional rather than inspired. The ending was controversially softened from the stage version for theatrical release (though the darker cut exists), leaving the finale feeling slightly toothless. Acting is fun and committed but not transcendent. Novelty earns a strong mark for its utterly unique blend of genres and its one-of-a-kind execution that has never really been replicated.