Like the seminal 1986 musical with a similar title, this 1960 film has some very sick dark humor, this shorter film actually very innovative and grotesque for the time it was set in. Much of the musical and the movie it is based of off are similar in some respects: the character of Audrey is bubble gum adorable but
lovable, Seymour is down and out, and strangely the voice of the plant is still very deep and soulful. A bit less upbeat as the remake, Little Shop was filmed in only two days, which shows in the overhead tracking shots, and some scenes where the dialogue trips all over itself. Still, between the great scene involving Seymour feeding Audrey Jr. human appendages, and the hilarious humor this is certainly a classic. Besides that we get to watch a very young Jack Nicholson as a deranged dental patient, which Bill Murray would soundly emulate years later with the help of dentist Steve Martin. Yes, the ending is significantly different, playing out more like a morality tale than a science fiction/fantasy crossover, but with the nostalgia angle of a black and white picture that wasn't given all too much confidence, it was surprisingly good.
August 12, 2010
