Little Shop Of Horrors, The (1960)

The Little Shop of Horrors was the ultimate Roger Corman cheapie – Written by Charles B. Griffith and shot in two days and a night for $28,000, the whole thing looks like it was made up on the spot.

When clumsy and simple-minded florist’s assistant Seymour Krelborn (Jonathan Haze) fouls up a floral arrangement for a client, his boss, Gravis Mushnick (Mel Welles), is ready to fire him until Seymour reveals he has mixed two different breeds of plant at home to create a new hybrid.

Seymour – who lives with his hypochondriac mother (Myrtle Vail) – has bred the plant in the hope of impressing his colleague at the flower shop, Audrey Fulquard (Jackie Joseph), after whom he has named his plant.

Mushnick agrees to give Seymour another chance if he brings in his new plant, “Audrey Jr”, which becomes Mushnick’s pride and joy.

But the plant won’t grow on the accepted chemical compounds, and yet – as Seymour discovers when he accidentally pricks his finger – it thrives on blood.

Not wishing to lose his job because the plant is dying, Seymour hunts for a series of victims and starts feeding Audrey Jr skid row bums, prostitutes – anything he can get his hands on – until the giant, insatiable Venus flytrap becomes the wonder of the vegetable world.

Naturally, the disappearance of bums and a burglar (who tries to rob Mushnick) attracts the attention of stoic, curt policeman Sgt. Joe Fink (Wally Campo in a fine Dragnet parody) and his assistant Officer Frank Stoolie (Jack Warford).

To make matters worse, as Audrey Jr. gets bigger, he begins to talk – at the most inopportune moments, Aubrey Jr. squeals, “Feed me.”

With the plant growing larger and larger and consuming more food, Seymour wins a trophy presented by the ladies’ auxiliary, but the plant’s need for blood becomes so demanding that Seymour gives up everything – the girl, his job, his life and his prized trophy.

The movie ends with a blackly humorous scene where Audrey Jr. has one entrée too many.

Jack Nicholson appears in a scene-stealing role as Wilbur Force, a pain-loving freak who looks forward to going to the dentist.

Although only moderately successful at the time, The Little Shop of Horrors became a cult favourite.

A musical version became one of off-Broadway’s biggest hits in the 1980s and was followed by a 1986 feature film musical version directed by Frank Oz.

Seymour Krelborn
Jonathan Haze
Audrey Fulquard
Jackie Joseph
Gravis Mushnik
Mel Welles
Ferson Fouch
Dick Miller
Winifred Krelborn
Myrtle Vail
Shirley
Karyn Kupcinet (as Tammy Windsor)
Shirley’s Friend
Toby Michaels
Mrs Shiva
Leola Wendorff
Mrs Hortense Feuchtwanger
Lynn Storey
Sgt. Joe Fink/Narrator
Wally Campo
Detective Frank Stoolie
Jack Warford
Leonora Clyde
Meri Welles
Dr Phoebus Farb
John Herman Shaner
Wilbur Force
Jack Nicholson
Waitress
Dodie Drake
Voice of Audrey Jr.
Charles B. Griffith

Director
Roger Corman

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