Rating: 
Summary: Horrible! -- And I Mean That In The Best Way Possible!!
Review: Anyone who's gotten this far probably has a pretty good ides of the plot of this movie; boy-gets-plant, plant-gets-people, boy-gets-girl, etc.But the difference between the stage and film versions of this musical gives ma a chance to talk about the difference between stage and film musicals and why i hardly ever really like the latter. (With the exception of "Guys & Dolls" and "The Music Man"...) As Frank Oz remarks in his (excellent) Director's Commentary, the original ending of the stage version is acceptable and funny... because we know the actors will be taking curtain calls in short order. That's the point; a stage musical is, obviously, Not Reality. The sets are basically flat (sometimes exaggeratedly so, for effect), costumes, makeup, action and voice performances are exaggerated to carry past the proscenium, and lighting and other technical aspects constantly remind us that It's Just A Play. Conversely, we have been taught, by cultural factors and simple assimilation, that a movie is, in some way, Reality. Look -- it's out in the street, moving around! We can go from one building to another and see that they (apparently)have Real Interiors. Makeup, costume and so on are more subtle. (For an example of what this is like, see if you can find photos of the "Rocky Horror" cast in the stage versions of their costumes and makeup and in the film versions; see how differently the same person/character is done for the different media) It just plain Looks Real. And so -- for me, anyway, when all of the strangers not only know the owrds but sing perfect five part harmonies on the spir of the moment, i can't deal with it in the movie,but have no problem with it on stage. And the original ending of this film -- on film -- was much more final and much more of a downer than it would be live, where, as i said, we know that the cast are gonna be taking curtain calls as soon as the last number ("Don't Feed the Plants", i believe) is over. And test audiences told them so, emphatically. And so, with reluctance, they went back and reshot the end of the film, giving it a happy ending (though even then they couldn't help slipping a little foreboding/foreshadowing...), and re-edited a couple of other places where the audience had been a bit grossed out. As Oz says, he didn't like to, but this is a business, and if you don't please the audience... A Few Notes On Production Values: The Skid Row exterior set is about the largest interior studio set i have ever seen (it compares favourably with the set Hitchcock built for "Rear Window"); several stories high, a couple of blocks long, lovingly detailed. If i ever raise enough money to make a film based on Will Eisner's "Sprit" comic, i want that set to film on. It has that air of deep urban realism, almost hyper-realism, that so much of Eisner's work has. Oz's commentary on some of the technical decisions made in getting the best possible result are interesting: I am particularly impressed by the crane shot that begins at Audrey's apartment window and in one continuous movement ends on Crystal, Chiffon and Ronette (the film's girl-group-style "Greek Chorus") on a building roof half-a-block away; Oz reveals that they rigged a camera crane *on* a camera crane to get the necessary moves and range of action. In order to make the plant's movements seem quicker and more fluid (the final version weighed something like half a ton and required the services of fifty-plus puppeteers to animate), they were undercranked -- shot at slower-then-normal speeds (12 frames per second and/or 16 fps versus the normal 24 fps) to cause them to appear faster when projected at mormal speeds. Unfortunately, several of these scenes require on-screen interaction beween the plant and Rick Moranis... which meant that Moranis had to act at half or three-quarters speed to look as if he were acting normally in the final result. He even had to lip-synch to a track slowed down to 3/4 of its original speed. He did it beautifully. 'S'a great fillum. Great stuff on the DVD. Buy it. You won't regret it.
Rating:
Summary: "Feed me............................"
Review: I was so excited when I received this dvd. I loved this movie as a kid, so I couldn't wait to finally own a copy of my own. Everything was perfect, except for one thing; I really wished they would have included the alternate ending. I wanted to see how it would have played out on screen. That was the only disappointment with the dvd edition. Nice transfer to dvd........I recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Over the Top, Sick, and Fun all in One!
Review: Alas, I'm without comparison to this. I've never seen the original Roger Corman movie, nor have I seen the musical. However, I have seen this film, and can say in confidence that it is twisted, sick, and fun. First off, the music is in the style of rythmn and blues/broadway musical. Whenever a song begins, three black background singers come out of nowhere and cop an attitude. Beautiful! The lines are laconic (my favorite: "I didn't kill him, I just chopped him up!") The songs are... great! sick! fun! (Suddenly Seymour, Feed Me, and other hits) The acting is... well, its acting you'd find in any tv comedy.. but it adds to the campy, over the top feel of the movie... The plot: Seymour makes it good.... but there's a price he's keeping from the world. See it, believe it, become one with it... love it!
Rating: 
Summary: this movie is hilarous
Review: this movie will make you laugh hard.With 2 funny songs, "feed me",and "dentis".Oh, and the music is great too.My 2 favorite songs are "suddenly seymour" and "downtown". The first time i saw this movie was when my theater teacher brought it in and showed it to us.BUY IT, DARN IT, BUY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Music transferred well onto surround sound
Review: You can't buy this DVD in the United Kingdom.... The most important factor for me in purchasing the DVD was how well the music had been transferred into digital sound. I was not disappointed and can fully recommend this to anyone interested in getting the best out of the music in the movie.
Rating:
Summary: My first musical
Review: Can you believe I first saw this movie when I was two years old? That I used to watch it on averidge at least twice a week untill I was about 13? It's true. This is what got me into musical therter, and I'll always love it. The romance between Seymoer and audrey is so sweet and touching, and is really the best part of the musical. Add in something *really* interesting like a man eating plant, and you've got a great story. Oh, and the music. It's so good that I recently had to buy a sound track. "Suddenly Seymoer" and "Down town" are my personal faves.
Rating:
Summary: Suddenly Seymour
Review: To this reviewer, Little Shop of Horrors is given the honor of the best stage to screen transfer around. Although purists rightfully complain about the altered ending, I feel the new ending works better on the large screen, as did many of the preview audiences. The performances are great all around with Steve Martin, John Candy, Rick Moranis and Ellen Greene easily commanding the screen. But, it is muppeteer Frank Oz in the directors chair that makes this film so finely textured and structured. The DVD has much to offer including a gag reel but is missing the original ending that was available briefly on the original DVD release before it was pulled from the shelf...
Rating:
Summary: One of the very best movies I have ever seen!
Review: I remember coming home late one night when I was really little and seeing the end of this...where Audrey II knocks down the shop and then the little one shows up outside Audrey and Seymour's new house. It was really scary, but awesome at the same time, since I like being scared. Then a school in my town put on a play version of this, and when I saw it again, I realized it's still pretty freaky, but funny, too, and definitely one of the best musical comedies ever made. One of my teachers did the voice of the plant in the play, and he sounded just like the one in the movie! I was stunned. The movie's plot was different than the play, but they were both good, and I can't decide which I like better. I guess the movie, since Audrey and Seymour get to live (at least until that little guy grows up)! Some songs weren't in the movie, but...anyway, I'll just talk about the DVD. It has cool features: French and Spanish languages, information about how they made it, and amusing take-out scenes and mistakes. There's this one picture of two enormous Audrey II's attacking the city and buildings are on fire and people are running around screaming and everything. The movie itself is wonderful. The music is catchy and original and includes such great songs as the "Little Shop of Horrors" theme, "Skid Row," "Feed Me," "Suddenly Seymour," "Somewhere that's Green," and many more. The acting is just terrific. Rick Moranis is the perfect Seymour, Ellen Greene captures Audrey very nicely, and I like Steve Martin as the crazy dentist who enjoys giving everyone pain. Audrey II is so cool-looking and funny and threatening and...well, I think he's cute, but then, I find the weirdest things cute sometimes. All in all, Little Shop is a REALLY, REALLY fantastic movie that you MUST buy!
Rating:
Summary: If I could do it, this movie would have 15 stars!
Review: When this movie came out in 1986, I was in the theaters to see it! It became a bit of an obsession. I saw it eight more times in the theater!! I know that you are thinking that I need to get a life! Before you pass judgement, realize that was before marriage and kids!!! "Little Shop" is delightful, morose, swinging and contains melodies that will have you humming long after the movie is over! Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Vincent Gardenia, and the trio of young ladies are fabulous. I can't wait until my daughter is old enough to watch this! (There are some scenes with some pretty harsh language.) Watch this movie several times to catch the humorous subtleties. A great time to be had by all!!
Rating:
Summary: Ellen Greene is the star
Review: Moranis is absolutely great as Seymour, the slightly nebish flower shop clerk who is terrorized by an out of control plant which has set out to devour him. Even better is Greene as the mousy co worker who develops a crush on Seymour as she seeks to escape from her abusive boyfriend, a sadisitc dentist well played by Steve Martin. What is great about Greene is that she breaks into song and really belts out "Suddenly Seymour," totally out of character from the squeeky little doormat that she plays. The transition is hilarious. The late, great Vincent Gardenia is wonderful as the shop owner (but then, he was wonderful in every role he played). The music is "girl group" doo wop .. right out of the 50s and is really fun. The movie is campy, fun and good entertainment for the entire family.
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