Rambling About The Entire Movie Of Little Shop of Horrors

Okay, so its come to my attention that there's a LOT of you that haven't watched or hell, even HEARD of Little Shop of Horrors. But don't worry your little heinie, I'm here to talk about it! (Now with 99.9% more rambling!)

If you've NEVER HEARD OF LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (or LSOH as I call it,) I must warn you of a few things before I continue: 

This movie contains some topics such as domestic abuse, murder, and also a mention of suicide, and also it's a LOVE STORY MUSICAL. Now I know just hearing those words just turned a WHOLE LOT OF YOU AWAY, but please bear with me this movie is literally amazing. Okay so enough of that, let me get into this!!!!!!  (ALSO SPOILERS AHEAD!!! and I will be specifically discussing the 1986 movie, not the 1960 one, and also not the Off-Broadway one.)

So our story takes place in a run-down town called Skid Row and I'm 95% sure that it's located in New York. The movie starts off with this really silly song where it's basically just the title of the movie sung over and over with some other words thrown in there. This sequence is sung by these three girls names Ronette, Crystal, and Chiffon. (They don't apply anything to the story, but they're there to sing backup!!)

 That's what they look like!! And off topic, but for some reason in the 90's they made LSOH into an ANIMATED KIDS SHOW called Little Shop. This was made by Roger Corman AKA the guy who made the 1960 movie. In that show, Ronette, Crystal, and Chiffon are singing flowers for some reason.

So after this silly opening sequence we are introduced to our main character, Seymour Krelborn who is played by Rick Moranis!! (That's the dude who played Louis in Ghostbusters, was the dad dude in Honey I Shrunk The Kids and if you wanna get REALLY obscure, Dark Helmet in Spaceballs.)

 <- That's him!!!

So a few things about him is that he's basically a meek, klutz, nerd and a florist. Also, he used to be an orphan (How original!) until the owner of a flower shop adopted him. He works and lives in the same flower shop because I don't know, why not! He's just a poor boy! He needs no sympathy! 

This dude. Seymour. FALLS OFF A SHELF IN THE BASEMENT (AKA his room) which made THIS OTHER DUDE named Mr. Mushnik YELL AT HIM!!!

This is Mr. Mushnik, he's the owner of a flower shop called Mushnik's Flower Shop (How creative!) and as you might've guessed, hes Seymour's adoptive dad. (This actually isn't mentioned AT ALL in this movie minus a few lines in a song.) 

Let me go ahead and introduce one more character named Audrey Fulquard. 

This is Audrey, and if you haven't guessed by looking at her she's the love interest of this movie. Fun Fact: She's played by Ellen Greene who actually played Audrey in the off-broadway version of this! (AKA She was the original Audrey besides the 1960 movie. ;-o )

So back to the story, Audrey walks into work late again due to her abusive boyfriend handcuffing her and giving her a black eye. Which is fine I guess since they rarely see any customers walk in. (Her being late I mean.. Not the abuse.) Seymour walks into the room and of course falls and breaks a bunch of shit. He then asks Audrey if her black eye is new eye makeup. THAT DUMBASS! Anyways, Mr. Mushnik sees some people loitering outside his shop which leads us to our second song of this!!!

Now there's nothing too important about this song, it's mostly just there to show you around the setting. They basically just sing about how everything in Skid Row fucking sucks and how much they wanna get out of there. But, we learn a tiny bit about Seymour in this song where he talks about how he was an orphan (as stated earlier) and how much he wants to get out of there. 

After this song, we see Seymour, Mushnik and Audrey just sitting around the store since its almost 6:00 PM and they've only sold a fern, Mushnik starts talking about how hes gonna close his doors until Seymour and Audrey mention this weird plant he found.

This is where Audrey II is introduced, I know currently it seems like this is a one off thing but TRUUUSSTT ME. She is IMPORTANT. 

Basically, they think Audrey II will attract more people if they put her in the window. So they do and WHADDA KNOW! People come in, and time for another song!!

This song is where we learn where Seymour got Audrey II. One day he went to a Chinese flower shop when suddenly a Total Eclipse of The Sun occurs!!! Then this weird plant is just sitting there, so he of course buys it for $1.95! 

Business is BOOMING for Mushnik so he offers to take Audrey and Seymour out for dinner!! Audrey declines since she has a date, but Audrey II just starts to die I guess? Anyways, Audrey II isn't doing well and since Seymour has no idea what type of plant it is, he doesn't know what to feed it! Segway into next song. 

So Seymour takes Twoey (Audrey II) into his room and starts singing about how nothing he gives to her is making her grow! (Hense the name of the song, Grow For Me) Anyways, about halfway through the song Seymour pricks his finger on a rose thorn and starts bleeding, yeeowch! But wait, what's this??

Yeah basically Twoey only feeds on blood. Shouldn't have bought a random weird plant for less than two dollars!!! So Seymour of course gives Twoey his blood and OMGA! Is he... growing??

WOAH!!! Fun Fact: Despite how choppy this growing scene looks, it's not stop motion! It was filmed in REAL TIME!!! Crazy I know!!!

Okay so after this, Seymour brings Twoey to a radio show to bring more attention to Mushnik's shop. Uhhh not much happens, John Candy is there. Mushnik listens to the show, Audrey misses it and is now sad. (aww! :-( ) So she walks home and now segway into the next song..

This song is about how Audrey wants to leave her relationship to marry Seymour, have a family with him and just live in the suburbs away from Skid Row. That's really it. Character development!

Anyways, ANOTHER SONG??!! Yeah man no story in-between this time!

Yeah again nothing really happens in this song, just saying how Seymour literally cannot sleep anymore because he has to feed Twoey his blood like. 24/7. It's like he has a new-born baby. Motherhood!

BACK TO THE STORY! 

So again, business is booming and Seymour is just ZOOTED he's just OUT OF IT. So he forgets this important URGENT flower order!!! He runs to Audrey to prepare the order and they just have a little chit-chat about how Seymour needs to take better care of himself because like he's getting famous! They start talking about going shopping together but then Audrey's all like "I can't go shopping tonight I got another date man.. :-/" So Mr. Mushnik is like "GET A NEW BOYFRIEND!!!" and Audrey's all like "He's a professional!!!" 

Ok song time!! + New Character??

This is Orin Scrivello (DDS), he's played by Steve Martin and he's also Audrey's abusive boyfriend so don't get too attached to him. Uhh they mention his name like twice in this whole movie so if you talk to someone who's only seen this like maybe 1-3 times they'll probably only know him as the abusive dentist guy played by Steve Martin.

Speaking of dentist, yeah this guy's a dentist. Also he's a sadist which is the reason why he's a dentist. Song is basically just about this guy being a dentist and how he, and I quote, "Gets off on the pain I inflict." So yeah this guy's an asshole.

After this song, time jump to a few hours later and he's here to pick up Audrey for their date. Also he's a drug addict, forgot to mention that. So he's all like "Hey plant guy!! I think your name's Simon!!" Audrey is all like "No his name's Seymour!!" And Orin's like "Shut up!!! Get on my motorcycle!!" So Orin hands Seymour a card for a free root canal and leaves. Seymour starts to talk to Twoey (WHO IS LIKE FUCKING HUUGE NOW!) about how he doesn't like Orin and so Twoey just kinda dies again. Also he starts singing.

Song time! This time it's about how Twoey is like sooooo hungry for blood but Seymour needs to heal! So Twoey tries to convince Seymour to I dunno.... kill people!!?? Yeah. He does. Anyways, he's like "Kill people for me and I'll give you anything you want!! ;-P" Seymour doesn't know because his plant just starting talking to him out of no where and is now asking him to commit homicide. But eventually Seymour succumbs when Twoey mentions Orin. Rut-roh.

Back to Orin, and... is that Bill Murray??!!

Bill Murray wants a long slow root canal. And then he starts screaming candy bar and then he tries to steal his things. Wow. Okay so now Seymour's here and he's here to KILL.... muahahha..... he goes in for a root canal and Orin's like "I'm gonna get high for this! I'm gonna put my cool gas mask on!" Then he dies. Yeah. 

Okay so I couldn't find a gif of this but Seymour puts Orin in a white bag and drags him out of the dentist office! YAY! So Seymour brings him to Twoey and he's all like CHOP HIM UP!!!! So that's what Seymour does! He takes Orin outside and does just that! But uh oh.... MUSHNIK SEES HIM DO IT!!!! He runs away. Scardy-Cat! Anyways, back to Twoey who is just CHOWING DOWN ON ORIN!!!!

So now Seymour is just. TRAUMATIZED. But he overhears the police talking to Audrey the next day, so he goes up to her and asks what they were saying. Turns out they suspect foul play and she runs off, Seymour chases after her and says things like "But isn't it better that he's gone?" Yk, nothing suspicious. 

Song time again, this time they reveal that they both have a FAT CRUSH on each other!! (EWWWW GROOOSS!!!!) And at the end they... kkkkk.....KIISSS....  Random Fact, when they filmed LSOH it was FREEZING in the middle of Winter, so they had to rub ice in their mouths during this scene just so their breath wouldn't show up on camera yk? But the thing is.... the kiss scene took 36 takes.. they had to rub ice in their mouth on EACH. TAKE. Ok back to the story..

So yay! Seymour got his girl! But uh oh. Mushnik confronts Seymour about what he saw the other day. 

OHHH SHIT.

Seymour confesses that he chopped Orin up, but he didn't kill him! So Mushnik points a gun at him and says "tell it to the police!!" Cue the music! 

So now Seymour is being held at gun point rushed up the stairs by Mushnik when he stops him at the front door and he's all like "If you tell me what to feed the plant I won't rat you out and stuff and also I'll let you get outta here!!!" Rut-roh! Oh. Also Audrey 2 is singing in the background. Anyways, so Seymour is all like "Well,,,,, You feed him,,,,, Food,,,," And then Mushnik dies.

CHOMP. Yummy! 

After this we go STRAIGHT INTO ANOTHER SONG!! (WOO-HOO! Random Fact: In 2021 I went by Meek because of this song...)

Not much to say, just basically Seymour getting famous. Yeah. It's a good song I like it.

ANYWAYS! Seymour is like famous now, good for him! But he doesn't want this so he's like stressed out as CRAP!!! For some reason Audrey like. Scheduled this show to be filmed in the flower shop about Audrey 2 without Seymour's knowledge.. Tbh I'd be stressed out too. Anyways Twoey is like fucking GIGANTIC now and she like dies on camera. The film dudes are all like what!!! Where do you keep your plant food!!! And Seymour's all like I can't feed him right now man!!! So he panics and is like "GET OUT OF HERE NOW!!! ALL OF YOU!!!!" And then he runs away, Audrey chases after him and then Seymour is like talking to himself just acting absolutely mental and then starts being all like "Let's get married right now!" So now they're engaged and planning to leave town because Seymour's gonna be rich and stuff! Audrey runs home to get ready and Seymour does the same. He packs up his things and tries to leave the flower shop when Audrey II is hungry again!! (SHOCKER!!) Seymour tells him that he's gonna go pick him up some sirloin and RUNS THE FART OUTTA THERE!!! 

Okay. SO... Now we focus on Twoey... ALONE... He uses his vines to open the cash register and grabs a quarter out... Weird... Oh my god IS HE CALLING SOMEONE??? 

 Yeah. He's calling Audrey. Don't know how he knows her number, don't question it. Anyways, he calls Audrey and STARTS SINNINNGGGINNNGGG!!!!! Audrey thinks it Seymour but looks outside her window and HOLY is that plant TALKING???? So she of course RUNS over there because what the fart???

Now Twoey's all like Audrey!!! I NEED water!!! Seymour is like making me starve bro!!! So Audrey gets him water but uh oh. HE STARTS EATING HER!!!! Happily, Seymour walks in with the sirloin at this moment (shocked he even bought it) and is all like GET OFF OF HER NOW!!!!!! He gets her out of Twoey's mouth and rushes her outside. 

Sorry, random side tangent. Did you know over 60 people had to operate Audrey II in these scenes where she's GIGANTIC??? Also, didn't mention this before but in every scene where Twoey talks to someone, it had to be filmed at 16 FPS then sped up to 24 FPS in post-production so Twoey's movements AND LIPSYNC would look more natural.

Okay real quick I gotta mention, this movie has TWO SEPARATE ENDINGS. I'll discuss the original ending first and then the new one second. 

So outside the shop, Seymour is holding Audrey and she's like DYING. She's gonna DIE. She sings a reprise of her solo song earlier and then dies in his arms. Yeowch. But right before she goes, she told Seymour to feed her to the plant so they're together forever. (AWWW!) So. That's just what Seymour does. There's this dramatic scene where he's carrying her inside the store... and sliding her into Twoey's mouth.... and chomp. No more Audrey. 

RIP!!!

Seymour rushes out of the store again and climbs up onto a building and walks to the edge. (yeahhh.... he almost offs himself....) But then he's approached by a business man that has his own Audrey II in his hands. He was on set during the filming earlier, took a clipping from Twoey and is asking Seymour if he would sign a contract to sell Audrey IIs everywhere around the world and it's gonna be BIGGER THAN HOOLA HOOPS. Oh. My. Word.

So, Seymour RUNS off the roof and SLAMS the flower door open to confront Twoey. He's all like, "Bigger than hoola hoops.... millions of you EATING..... this was your plan all along!" Twoey's like "NOOOOOO SHIT!!!!" Cue the best song ever.

He's all like I'm just a MEAN GREEN MOTHER from OUTERSPACE and I'm BAD!!! So, Twoey's like an alien. Also he has babies now singing backup. Anyways, Seymour tries to kill Twoey but she's like INVINCIBLE(?) NOW so he just runs. Also. Twoey quote unquote, "Busts Seymour's Balls." Please forgive me for typing that. Twoey DESTROYS the flower shop and. 

Oof. Seymour's dead now. See kids, let this be a lesson in buying a random plant from a Chinese flower shop right after a total eclipse of the sun.

Now, CUE THE 2ND BEST SONG EVER. Love a good musical with amazing songs back to back, honestly this whole soundtrack is just awesome.

God I love this whole scene so much. Sorry I can't talk about it without rambling. So first of all, yeah Twoey's taken over the world. LOL!

THIS SEQUENCE IS SO COOL OH MY GOD. Honestly, just Audrey II is what got me hooked on this musical because IT'S NOT CGI. SHE'S A PUPPET. Okay, this ending scene was done with multiple puppets and god it looks so cool. Please check this out for yourself I BEG you. Don't Feed The Plants / Director's Cut Ending

Sorry for spamming gifs but GOD this scene was so well made. AND THE FACT THAT THIS WAS CUT???

Okay, so some back story before I get into the second ending about why this ending that I just talked about was cut from theaters. 

So basically, back when they finished filming they did a test screening of it to see how well people would respond to it. They needed at least 55% of viewers to say they would recommend it in order to ACTUALLY RELEASE THE MOVIE, and they only got a 13%. So, they did another screening and got the exact same results. It seemed everyone LOVED the film until Audrey died. From that point on, everyone was just. Silent. So, they had no choice but to re-write the ending. (Personally, I enjoy the first one more, tehe.)

Anyways, lets get into the Theatrical Ending!

The whole Audrey + Audrey II scene is all the same up until where Audrey dies. This time, she's okay but has really bad injuries. Seymour and her sing a reprise of Suddenly Seymour when (like earlier) a business man approaches Seymour and is again, trying to sell Audrey II's! So Seymour once again rushes into the flower shop and everything about this scene is the same. But, it changes once the flower shop is destroyed. Seymour is buried in a pile of rubble and is thought to be dead until his hand emerges, holding a loose wire. He touches it to Audrey II's vine AND SHE BLOWS UP.

(Couldn't find a gif, but here's her being electrocuted.) 

So, now we transition to Seymour and Audrey who are now married, and live in the Suburbs, just like Audrey wanted. AWW! Yay! Also, there's like a mini Audrey 2 in their garden which foreshadows a sequel we never got.

This ending is really cute and sweet and I can see why people like it more, I guess I just like when everyone dies and a non-human character takes over

Okay time for me to RAMBLE ABOUT ME LOVING THIS MOVIE!!!!

So, I LOVE THIS MOVIE. I don't know why. But, when I saw this in 2021 I was at first like "oh brother a LOVE STORY.." and then Audrey 2 and the soundtrack was introduced and I was all like "HOOOLLLLLYYYY SHIIIITTTT." Also, THERE'S SO MUCH TO LEARN ABOUT THIS MOVIE??? It's been almost 3 years since I first saw this and I'm STILL learning more about it. I've been hyperfixated on it ever since my first watch-through, I saw the Director's Cut first without even KNOWING there was another one. I literally rented this on DVD from my local library to watch it again and I was quite frankly flabbergasted when I saw Twoey die and not Seymour!!! Just seeing those two endings got me HOOKED ON THIS.  Just seeing this movie and the behind the scenes just shows how much love went into this film. 

Okay that's it, best movie and musical ever, 10/10 stars, would rate a 100 if I could, please go watch this.