Buzz
Initially, the darkly comedic musical adaptation didn't achieve widespread popularity. Over time, however, it has clearly captured the admiration of audiences.
1. IT ORIGINATED FROM A WAGER.
The Little Shop of Horrors (1960) is often hailed as “the greatest movie ever made in just two days.” While this claim isn’t entirely accurate, the film’s creation is tied to a fascinating story. Director Roger Corman, known for producing cult favorites on a shoestring budget, reportedly made a bet with his brother, Gene, that he could rehearse and film an entire movie in the final week of 1959.
Corman utilized leftover sets from a previous film, spending Monday to Wednesday rehearsing with his actors before filming on Thursday and Friday. While most accounts stop here, it’s often overlooked that Corman brought the cast back for additional shoots over the following two weekends.
The Little Shop of Horrors marked one of Jack Nicholson’s early roles, where he portrayed a masochistic dental patient. Reflecting on the film’s low budget, Nicholson later recalled that Corman was so frugal he didn’t even provide script copies.
Following its release, the movie gained popularity through late-night TV broadcasts and inspired a successful off-Broadway production. Debuting on May 6, 1982, the show initially ran for a month before being picked up by a producer, leading to a remarkable 2209-performance run over five years, becoming the highest-grossing off-Broadway production at the time. The $25 million film adaptation of the musical was released in 1986.
2. THE LARGEST PLANT PUPPET NEEDED UP TO 60 TECHNICIANS TO FUNCTION.
If Little Shop of Horrors were made today, its alien plant antagonist would likely be created using CGI. However, in the mid-1980s, such technology was still in its infancy. Director Frank Oz, a puppetry expert and longtime collaborator of Jim Henson, stepped in. Having voiced characters like Fozzie Bear and Miss Piggy for a decade, Oz brought his expertise to the film’s production.
Oz faced the monumental task of bringing Audrey II, the man-eating plant, to life. This character evolves from a small sapling to a towering giant, capable of singing, dancing, and devouring humans. The production team crafted six animatronic versions of Audrey II, ranging from a tiny 4-inch model to a massive 12-foot creation. The largest puppet, used in the film’s climax, required the coordination of up to 60 operators.
3. A SONG INSPIRED ARIEL'S ICONIC NUMBER IN THE LITTLE MERMAID.
While many songs from the off-Broadway version of Little Shop of Horrors were omitted from the film, “Somewhere That’s Green” made the cut. In this poignant number, Audrey dreams of escaping her bleak surroundings for a suburban paradise. This theme resonated with Ariel’s longing in Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken, who worked on both projects, drew a direct connection between the two songs. Menken even joked that they referred to “Part of Your World” as “Somewhere That’s Wet.”
4. JIM HENSON'S CHILDREN PLAYED A ROLE IN THE FILM.
In the scene where Audrey II demands food in “Feed Me,” Brian Henson, now head of the Jim Henson Company, operated the puppet. Later, his sister Heather Henson makes a brief appearance as a mistreated dental patient, adding a family touch to the production.
5. STEVE MARTIN GOT HURT WHILE FILMING "FEED ME."
In the scene where Orin Scrivello, D.D.S. (Martin) and Audrey (Ellen Greene) approach her apartment, the unhinged dentist kicks the door open. Director Frank Oz reveals on the DVD commentary that Martin had initially tried opening the door by hand, but the glass unexpectedly broke, leaving him with a cut on his palm.
6. AUDREY II FORCED THE ACTORS TO WORK AT A SLOWER PACE.
The foam lips of Audrey II couldn’t move quickly enough to match the song’s audio. To solve this, the team filmed the puppet at a reduced speed of 12 or 16 frames per second and later sped up the footage to the standard 24 frames. When Rick Moranis (Seymour Krelborn) or other actors performed alongside the plant, they had to lip-sync in slow motion. Oz described the process as challenging.
7. BILL MURRAY AD-LIBBED HIS LINES.
Murray didn’t need a script to shine. He joined Little Shop of Horrors as a gleeful masochist, playing opposite Martin’s sadistic dentist. The SNL alum requested the freedom to improvise, and Oz agreed, as long as the dynamic between the characters remained intact. Murray delivered unique lines in every take, making the scene unforgettable.
8. A CENSORED VERSION OF "MEAN GREEN MOTHER FROM OUTER SPACE" PERFORMED AT THE 1987 OSCARS.
Ashman and Menken penned this bold song for the film, featuring Audrey II’s profanity-laden rant. Nominated for Best Original Song, it was performed at the Oscars by Levi Stubbs, the Four Tops’ lead singer and the plant’s voice actor. A sanitized version was used for the ceremony, though the award ultimately went to Top Gun’s “Take My Breath Away.”
9. A SURREAL DREAM SEQUENCE WAS CUT.
An early version of “The Meek Shall Inherit” included a bizarre dream sequence where Seymour confronts his fears through surreal imagery, including body transformations and a bleeding painting. This avant-garde scene was ultimately removed from the final cut.
10. THE INITIAL ENDING WAS ALSO REMOVED.
Spoiler warning: In Corman’s The Little Shop of Horrors, Seymour sacrifices himself by jumping into the plant’s gaping mouth, ending both their lives. The musical takes a darker turn, with Audrey II devouring all main characters and an army of its offspring wreaking havoc nationwide.
Oz allocated a significant portion of the budget to create this dystopian finale, which paid homage to sci-fi classics like Godzilla and War of the Worlds. The complex sequence took nearly a year to complete.
During the first preview in San Jose, audiences initially cheered for every musical number. However, the mood shifted dramatically after the leads were killed, leaving the theater in stunned silence. A similar reaction occurred during a Los Angeles screening.
The team had no choice but to revise the ending. Oz explained to Entertainment Weekly that a happier conclusion was necessary to satisfy audiences. Ashman reluctantly crafted a more uplifting resolution, though the original ending was later included in a 2012 director’s cut DVD.
11. LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS INSPIRED A BRIEF ANIMATED SERIES.
Titled simply Little Shop, the series aired on Fox Kids in 1991. Featuring a young Seymour and his rapping prehistoric flytrap, “Junior,” the show concluded after just 13 episodes.
