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Little Shop Of Horrors (1960) vs Little Shop Of Horrors (1986)

posted 11 years ago by johnno74
12 replies | jump to latest

I wanted to start this discussion, because after viewing both film versions, I like Roger Corman's 1960 one better. I saw that one first, then I saw the 1986 musical version, which did not impress me one bit.
First of all, Roger Corman's version was much more of a horror movie; it had quite a Vincent Price/Henry Mancini style piece of music that was enough to create the creepy effects during the opening sequence and the bits with Audrey JR in it. Plus, the voice of Audrey JR was sinister enough. And there's the bit where Seymour is squeezing a human hand into the plant and singing Deck The Halls in a very emotional mood, which creates a feel that Seymour feels like he's being tortured. Plus the ending is very dark (spoiler!); when the town chases Seymour, he confronts his creation and kills both the plant and himself.
The musical version was nothing, but cliches and excuses to enjoy Broadway. You call that a horror movie? It wasn't even scary enough to be a horror movie. The parts where the plant sings killed the atmosphere. It falls in the same category as the Rocky Horror Picture Show, taking away the 'prepare to be scared' feel, same with the music video to Michael Jackson's Thriller. In fact, all the songs killed the whole aspect for a respectable horror movie. Plus, they are also forgettable. No offense Alan Menken, but your works with Disney were better. If you compare the dentist's death in both films, the 1960 film's scene was more heart pounding; it had Seymour and the dentist sword fencing and the dentist got stabbed. In the musical, oh god, they have to burst into a song! Plus, the ending (spoiler) is so cliched. The plant blows up and Seymour and Audrey live happily ever after. Yawn!
The Roger Corman version is so underrated, whereas the 1986 musical is so overrated.
That's my opinion. What do you guys think?

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] ZombiHorndog 8 years ago

I really feel like Ellen Green's character was unnecessarily abused. Audrey being a victim of spousal abuse didn't move the plot forward. It's a shame when you consider that this movie has a lot of good qualities, such as the puppetry and the rock and roll songs, but a lot of weak characterization and plotting and it just really isn't a comedy. It's a really miserable movie. Not bad, but Roger Corman's movie leaves me in a good mood after watching it. The characters in the 1960 film are happier.

Thing is though, the special effects in the 1960 film are weak, it's not a very well made film, and characters that are better developed in the 1986 film are weakly developed in the 1960 film, even though some of the principles have better plot development in Corman's film.

So they're both pretty flawed, but if you were going to remake one of them, I'd say remake the Corman film and give it better special effects and flesh out the characters more. They're remaking the musical because it's more profitable, but it makes far more artistic sense to remake Corman's film.