 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Little Shop of Horrors
- Review Date: June 1, 2004
- PG-13
- Genre: Musical
- 1986
Common Sense Media says
Comic book creepiness, jazzy tunes, and fab cast.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this musical has dark themes and is not for children or very sensitive viewers. It's campy noir not meant to be taken seriously, but the dark comedic plot involves a sinister dentist who tortures his patients, and a flesh-eating plant that devours human parts in a graphic feeding scene. Some of the serious issues, like abusive relationships and ultimately murder, twitch under the plot's campy mechanics.
What's the story?
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS is a little twisted, through and through, which makes for a creepy, and very entertaining, musical. It is set on "Skid Row," a dreary and depressed section of "Downtown," where on a grubby corner sits a little flower shop owned by Mr. Mushnik. He is assisted by a buxom blonde named Audrey and his tenant, Seymour, who seems to do everything wrong. One day, an unexpected solar eclipse catches the residents of the city unaware. Shortly thereafter, Seymour finds a fascinating plant on his shopping route that he adopts. Business is bad for Mr. Mushnik's flower stand -- he is about to close shop when Seymour suggests that his strange plant be placed in the window to attract customers. Sure enough, customers begin to pour in, and Seymour is left with a conundrum: just how will he feed his new plant when it begins to demand more than meager drops of his blood? Enter the demented dentist (played to the hilt by Steve Martin) and throw in the fact that the dentist treats Audrey like trash, and the stage is set for "foul play."
Is it any good?
No it's not for the faint of heart, but LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS is a classic. With Frank Oz of SESAME STREET and THE MUPPET MOVIES at the helm, the premise of a man-eating plant charming its way to stardom isn't too hard to imagine. The plot is campy sci-fi at its best, which works well with the do-wop soundtrack. The music is very good -- with Levi Stubbs of The Four Tops doing the plant's voice -- and the solos by Rick Moranis and Ellen Greene hit unexpected emotional notes. Cameos from Bill Murray, John Candy, Jim Belushi and Christopher Guest increase the star power of this talented ensemble.
Though it's thoroughly entertaining, there are some scary scenes in THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS that may not be appropriate for some viewers. All those misgivings about going to the dentist are played upon like a raw nerve. Some viewers might want to fast forward through the dentist scenes altogether -- which is why discerning parents should preview this DVD for themselves. Other viewers may not be fazed at all, but be warned nonetheless.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about abuse and bullying in relationships. Why is Audrey dating such a creep? Is Seymour right to want to off the dentist?
What could have happened to Audre if she had not been "saved" by Seymour? How does her treatment in the movie make you feel?
Music and the role it plays in the movie. What do you think this would have been like on Broadway, as it originally was?
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AGE
The play is better for kids, adults, and all audiences.
The original play was a brilliant tragicomedy (tragedy mixed with comedy). The movie follows the play rather closely, except with two major differences.
1. The movie tries to make the protagonist, Seymour Krelborne, look more sympathetic than in the play.
2. The movie has a standard Hollywood happy ending, while the play ended with Seymour getting his just desserts.
The play, while creepy, was also brilliant. I'm a HUGE fan of the play. It made me laugh, cry, and shake in my seat, all in just 80 minutes plus intermission. The movie does not do the play justice. It takes the play, which was basically Faust set in an old B-movie, and warps it to the point where the entire message has been diluted into nothing.
Thanks, Hollywood.
A more depressing ending was filmed and shown to test audiences. The test audiences cried during it, so it was removed. Well, OF COURSE! That's the charm of the play! Not only do you laugh, but you ALSO cry! That's why it's so brilliant!
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AGE
Pretty Funny, good movie adaptation
Violence? Seriously? Seymour feeds Audrey II newspapers and a boot instead of chopped-up-dentist! There is zero gore in this movie. The most violent part involves off-screen sound effects. The sadistic dentist, played by Steve Martin, is hilarious. Even a little kid who didn't find the dentist funny would only find him mildly scary. And there isn't a ton of swearing either. By the way, a plant that sings the blues is, like steve martin being a sadistic dentist, funny NOT scary.
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AGE
I loved it but it was way to scary for my three year old cousin
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AGE
Kinda creepy musical
My little sisters watched this when they were 9, and they absolutely loved it! I was with them, and I was 12, and I was totally creeped out. The main character chops up another character to feed his plant. And the dentist freaks me out a lot too. He abuses laughing gas, and the song he sings is funny, but if a kid 7 or under hears a bit of it, they'll try and stay clear of the dentist for a long time.
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AGE
Creepy, Violent Musical has Outstanding Musical Numbers!
This is a pretty good movie, but I would just buy the soundtrtack instead. You're not missing much if you skip the movie; in fact, the movie itself is quite creepy (granted, some songs are creepy) and violent; many characters are chopped up and one person adores inflicting pain (although he does a great musical number). The cast is good, yes, but it's not as funny as you might think, especially with Rick Moranis, Steve Martin, and Bill Murray in it. Now, the soundtrack/musical numbers: spectacular! I adore some of the songs in this movie. So, just buy the soundtrack and you'll be golden.
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AGE
Not for kids who get scared easily.
I love the musical numbers and characters, but my 6 year old brother ran away in terror in the last scene with Audrey 2.
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AGE
AWESOME!!!
This is a hilarious movie!!! I love Rick Moranis and Steve Martin! Great Cast! A FANTASTIC musical comedy!!! There is some off screen gore and the sadistic dentist is just kind of creepy. The plant uses bad language and Audrey wears provocative clothing, but it's really not that inappropriate.
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| Studio: | Warner Bros. |
| Director: | Frank Oz |
| Cast: | Ellen Greene, Rick Moranis, Steve Martin |
| Genre: | Musical |
| Run time: | 94 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | December 19, 1986 |
| DVD release date: | December 19, 2000 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | language, mature themes and violence |
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