La Petite Boutique des horreurs

“This is between me and the vegetable.” This is most likely the best adaptation of a stage musical that was itself an adaptation of a cult B-movie. And it is definitely the best movie with a singing carnivorous plant. Oz’s film has more in common with The Rocky Horror Picture Show, another bit of rock lunacy drawing from the aesthetics of American sci-fi and disaster movies from the 1950s (Ashman’s source of inspiration was obviously monster movies and the post-war American lifestyle), than with Corman’s works. However, the narrative of Little Shop of Horrors, combining a Faustian motif with criticism of (predatory) capitalism (the consequences of which are fleshed out in the director's cut with a very dark ending), is much more consistent and the style of the film is more sophisticated in the way it goes against the formalistic and thematic conventions of Hollywood musicals. The songs do not serve as an escape to another world (and if they do, it’s rather a grotesque variation on the “American way of life” according to advertising brochures). Instead, they ironically spell out how and in what the protagonists live. The mise-en-scene is dominated by poverty, ugliness and filth. There is not a single character who is not a headcase, a sadist, a masochist, a loser or all of the above. Thanks, however, to the campy overacting and cheerful melodies, this inversion of values (pleasure from pain, death with a smile) is perverse in an endearing rather than revolting way, so that in the end we paradoxically get the same viewing satisfaction as we would get from more refined musicals in the classic mould. Due to its sincere lyrics, well-though-out shot composition (without excessive editing) and great building up of the scenes, the film offers more complex emotions alongside laughter and disgust. Due to its many little jokes, Oz’s film, much like RHPS, cannot be exhaustively viewed in one sitting. For example, you might notice how the colour of the costumes worn by the three-member chorus that accompanies the narration changes depending on the atmosphere and content of the given scene (purple for death, green to emphasise the sci-fi elements, and so on). In any case, the most compelling argument for repeat viewing remains, in my opinion, Steve Martin’s sadist without a cause, but with a drill, a motorcycle and an Elvis parody atop his head. 90% (28/05/2017)

Maybe it’s brilliant, but it didn’t work on me at all. Ha, ha, ha… (06/10/2008)

An excellent horror comedy with a few favorite musical numbers. And this is where the stumbling block lies. While half of them are doubtlessly great, the other half are unbelievably lame and embarrassing. However, overall the Little Shop of Horrors is original through and through and primarily fun, which makes up for all of the downsides. I am intrigued to see the stage version. (23/07/2007)