Pre-Halloween Horror-watching #8: Little Shop of Horrors
Little Shop of Horrors
Genre: SF/Horror Musical
Director: Frank Oz, 1986
Songs by: Alan Menken
Starring: Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, and a huge cast of SNL Alums
TL;DR: Okay, okay, not strictly speaking a horror film, not even a horror musical really, but the space-born mutant plants eating people would seem to be close enough. The puppetry is jaw-dropping, worth seeing this film alone for it, and the songs are a highly enjoyable bonus.
Somehow I missed this one when I was a kid, and I truly feel sadder for it. Had I seen this when I was 5, I probably would have been seriously scared by Audrey II. Today, as an adult, alas, I find myself completely unscared, just seriously admiring the unbelievable technical precision behind the puppet while enjoying all the music immensely. The technique still puts modern CGI to shame, and goes to show that, done properly, making the actual props will always look better.
Unlike chuckro and jethrien, I do not have the musical acumen nor Broadway-going experience to allow me sufficient vocabulary to comment on the quality of the actual musical elements. So all I shall say is that I had a bangin' good time watching this movie. The music, particularly the chorus, was really fun just to listen to, and Rick Moranis did a decent job as leading man both speaking and singing. Ellen Greene was fantastic, Steve Martin almost steals the entire movie with the most hilarious song of the entire show, and SNL fans will love the classic SNL cast showing up for cameos.
Again, as an adult, not a horror film. But who said a halloween film always needs to have more than a few freaky costumes and props?
Genre: SF/Horror Musical
Director: Frank Oz, 1986
Songs by: Alan Menken
Starring: Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, and a huge cast of SNL Alums
TL;DR: Okay, okay, not strictly speaking a horror film, not even a horror musical really, but the space-born mutant plants eating people would seem to be close enough. The puppetry is jaw-dropping, worth seeing this film alone for it, and the songs are a highly enjoyable bonus.
Somehow I missed this one when I was a kid, and I truly feel sadder for it. Had I seen this when I was 5, I probably would have been seriously scared by Audrey II. Today, as an adult, alas, I find myself completely unscared, just seriously admiring the unbelievable technical precision behind the puppet while enjoying all the music immensely. The technique still puts modern CGI to shame, and goes to show that, done properly, making the actual props will always look better.
Unlike chuckro and jethrien, I do not have the musical acumen nor Broadway-going experience to allow me sufficient vocabulary to comment on the quality of the actual musical elements. So all I shall say is that I had a bangin' good time watching this movie. The music, particularly the chorus, was really fun just to listen to, and Rick Moranis did a decent job as leading man both speaking and singing. Ellen Greene was fantastic, Steve Martin almost steals the entire movie with the most hilarious song of the entire show, and SNL fans will love the classic SNL cast showing up for cameos.
Again, as an adult, not a horror film. But who said a halloween film always needs to have more than a few freaky costumes and props?