THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (1960)

Streaming on Tubi!
Directed by Roger Corman, Charles B. Griffith, Mel Welles
Written by Charles B. Griffith, Roger Corman
Starring Jonathan Haze, Jackie Joseph, Mel Welles, Jack Nicholson, Dick Miller, Myrtle Vail, Karyn Kupcinet, Leola Wendorff, Lynn Storey, Wally Campo, Jack Warford, Meri Welles, John Herman Shaner

Oh, Thheymour.

Though I have fond memories of going to see the remake of Corman’s classic in the theaters, I had never seen the original LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS until recently. This may be one of the few cases where I prefer the remake over the original, mainly because of some fine performances by Rick Moranis, Steve Martin, and Ellen Greene and some cactchy showtunes. But still, Corman’s original THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS still has that charm seen in most of Corman’s earliest endeavors.

Seymour is a down on his luck flower salesman, working in Mr. Mushnik’s Flower Shop on Skid Row. In a mistaken crossbreeding accident, Seymour somehow creates a Venus flytrap-like plant that thrives on blood. When the selfless Seymour doesn’t have a drop left to spare, he begins feeding the plant hobos and prostitutes, making the plant grow to massive proportions. As Mushnik’s store and Seymour rise in fame, the plant’s need for blood grows as well. Soon, Seymour realizes that this plant is out of his control.

Sounds like the makings of a pretty awesome horror movie. Right?

Unfortunately, the horror is downplayed to a point of non-existence here. Everything is played for laughs and even those laughs are pretty lame. Even an appearance by Jack Nicholson, proving that even Jack can give a lame performance, doesn’t save this.

Though it is a puppet, the plant is actually pretty well done as far as low scale special effects go. The pod-person reveal at the end is even more than a little jarring, despite how bad the painted renditions of the dead characters are. Still, effects-wise, this is something impressive for its time.

I can’t be too hard on THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. It’s as harmless as Seymour and definitely a fun retro experience by one of the trailblazers in horror, but after watching the lame comedy and low attention to actual horror in the original and the showtune-rific remake, I can’t help but wonder what a LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS that actually delivered the horrors would be like.

Check out the trailer here!!