Little Shop of Horrors

Rating:
Summary: The most creative and inventive musical in film
Review: In a sense, Little Shop of Horrors perhaps may be the be the best musical ever presented on screen. Why? Because it's overall genial playfulness and spirited musical numbers, with likable, affable characters played brilliantly by every cast member, makes you feel as giddy as a five-year-old child watching saturday morning cartoons. This film is a triumph of heart, music, and the best special effects money can buy. It would be sad to think if this movie was made today that Audrey II would be computer special effects. It would remove the soul from a very important character, and it would be less impressive. The giant plant is a marvel of film, with it's quick verbal expressions and human characteristics. The music of the film, however, is what makes everything work. Unlike the other Little Shop of Horrors, by Roger Corman, the black comedy is actually funny, and the side-step love story between geeky Seymour and pretty Audrey actually is touching and heartfelt. All in all, Little Shop of Horrors is an experience only to be felt, and again, and again, and again...

Rating:
Summary: Offbeat, engaging and delightful
Review: "Little Shop of Horrors" is a movie like no other. You're slyly drawn in by a cute little musical that progressivley gets more and more "weiEIeiEIerrRRrd" (to quote Wink the radio guy, played by John Candy.)

Candy, Jim Belushi, Steve Martin and Christopher Guest show up here to add their talents to outstanding performances by Rick Moranis and Ellen Greene.

The music is great! I'm not a huge fan of 50's and 60's style do-wop stuff, but if your feet can stay still during the tunes in this show, forget it--you're dead already and it doesn't matter.

The arrangements are excellent. The Greek Chorus Girls add style, panache and polish as well as harmony.

One of my favorite things about this film is finding someone who hasn't seen it yet and sharing it with them. They always say, "When was this made? How could I not hear about this movie? It's great!"

The DVD version is excellent. I've owned the VHS for years, but the DVD sound and picture are far superior. The documentary on the making of the film is a nice extra and makes you appreciate what you see that much more.

My confession? I've probably watched this movie thirty or more times. If you ask to watch it again tonight, would I do it? You bet.

Just buy it. You won't be sorry. The DVD lets you show off your home theater system with hardly an explosion. It's a gem.

Rating:
Summary: Little Shop of Horrors
Review: I have both the re-released version and the one with the alternate ending,this movie is a great comedy with Steve Martin as the demented dentist,the animatronic plant voiced by Levi Stubbs is great,Rick Moranis again shows why he is sought after for other projects.The music adds to the entertainment making this a great addition to any dvd library.

Rating:
Summary: Glorious transfer to DVD
Review: I love this movie. The music and acting are combined beautifully and Audrey II is more believable than most 'top name' stars. That said, I wish to review the DVD edition:

The picture is marvellous with very sharp and clear images, no distortions of any kind and the stereo sound really blasts out at you. The extras are very well put together and give some fascinating trivia about the movie's history and how the plant was created. All in all this is a great package to show off all your expensive stereo equipment and big screen TV.

Rating:
Summary: Infectious Musical Entertains
Review: LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS is a little gem of a musical. So many modern attempts at producing a true film musical have failed. This one, lead by talented Frank Oz, succeeds.

First, the music is great. From ballads ("Somewhere That's Green") to Motown (all the Girl's Chorus songs, "Mean Green Mother") the songs are wonderful.

The cast is top-notch. Ellen Greene is hilarious, over-the-top, and touching all at once. Rick Moranis is a great singer and born to play Seymour. And the cameos make this film lively. Steve Martin's dentist is wickedly funny.

I wish we could get the alternate ending back on this new DVD, however. (My one complaint!)

Rating:
Summary: A Guilty, Guilty, Guilty Pleasure...
Review: ....I know, I know, I know. Some readers are going 'Why in the heck did he have to review this?' And I know what little reputation I've achieved writing these Amazon.com reviews is on the line... because we're all supposed to be well respected...

Look. How could I not review this? One, the musical is in line with a few other movies I've reviewed.

Two, I'm a brother who doesn't mind watching a musical right after I've watched a football game, to me there's no contradictions,

Three, this is great, great, great. Everybody associated with this I've enjoyed througout the years in other endeavors. Frank Oz, the director, is my favorite Muppet-teer, bringing my favorite Muppets, Cookie Monster and Fozzie Bear to life. Musical director/musical producer Bob Gaudio, who adopted the music to film score, I had followed in his days as keyboardist/composer/arranger in the pop rock megagroup the Four Seasons. I am the biggest Steve Martin, Bill Murray, and John Candy fan. China Arnold and Tish Campbell, I enjoy as Pam and Gina on "Martin"; Levi Stubbs, I enjoy in the Four Tops...and I love the Brill Building/Doo Wop feel to the music...like I've said before, you probably have to be in the same quantum pocket.

Heck, get it and enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: Fun Musical with Just As Fun Music
Review: Everytime I watch this movie I get all of the songs stuck in my head for weeks. That said, I jumped at the chance to snatch this masterpiece up when it came out on DVD --- for the second time. Speaking of, why was the first release such a disaster and what's this alternate ending? Anyone who can tell me can e-mail me at [e-mail] --- Anyway, I haven't yet watched all of the special features, but from what I've seen, they've been put together very nicely. The film is just as great as ever. Seymoure and Audrey are played out perfectly by Rick Moranis and Ellen Greene (does it amuse anyone else the two of the major characters - Mushnik and Audrey - have last names that deal with plants --- Gardenia and Greene?)

Well, in short, the music is great, so is th acting, and the story is so steange you can't help but love it. This is a must have, unless that alternate endign really was spectacular...

Rating:
Summary: Geffen was Wrong!
Review: When Little Shop orginally came out in 1986, I saw it many times. It was the first official musical that I really took a shine to, and I still enjoy it to this day. I just got the DVD for my collection and couldn't be happier with it.picutre, sound everything is top notch. There is however one glaring problem. the lack of the original ending. Geffen didn't include it because he didn't want anyone to see it, I say this is what DVD was made for, so those of us who thrive on this kind of hollywood trivia and little known facts can enjoy things like alternate endings and deleted scenes. Now all he has is a bunch of people pirating tapes of the original dvd with the ending to people and some reselling the dvd itself at sky high prices. ($100 and up) If he was smart he would've just left well enough alone, or maybe he's the one reselling the dvd's after recalling them? hmmmm. I'm not so angry about it because i've gotten a hold of a copy of the movie with the original ending, but I think those of you out there who really have a love of the movie making process and the evolution of the art are being cheated. although hearing 'feed me' in french is well worth the price.

Rating:
Summary: You'll sure have Some Fun Now !
Review: Well, after the fiasco of the original release we've had to wait a long time for the DVD to resurface but at last it has. Despite it now not containing the legendary alternate ending (which by the way is extremely spectacular to say the least !) it is still one fantastic disc and far more than we could have hoped for. When flms of this age get released we are usually lucky to get a trailer and so on this disc we are completely spoiled. Not only does the film look and sound superb but we've got trailers, tv spots, a fascinating full length commentary by Frank Oz, a 23 minute featurette and some very funny outtakes. You don't need me to tell you the plot of the film - so I won't ! This is my favourite film of all time and Warners have released a disc that is a pleasure to own. Thanks ! And for the record I would like to say that despite the cost the right decision was made to reshoot a happy ending. This is an amazing disc at an amazing price - why haven't you bought it yet ?

Rating:
Summary: RE-RELEASE SHOULD HAVE BEEN RE-DONE
Review: I already had the original release of "Little Shop" on dvd, but I recently bought the re-release expecting to see an improvement on picture quality. I had been anticipating and looking forward to seeing this masterpiece finally be perfected; unfortunately, I discovered the devastating fact that the image quality was still just as poor as the edition that was first released back in 1998. This reality caught me totally off guard since Warner Brothers has come such a long way in dvd quality, especially with the release of "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure". Don't get me wrong, but it is rather upsetting that Warner was able to do such a good job on the "Pee-Wee" dvd and still only do a so-so job to the visual quality on such a cult classic as this much-loved gem. Warner Bros., I shun and look down upon you. I am now out of 20 bucks and out of hope.