Love this! Little Shop of Horrors is probably my favorite IP ever so I was actually pretty surprised that it’s origins go back even further than I initially thought :)
Given how comprehensive this video essay, I’m shocked to see how few views it has. Really great work-and it brought to mind a cartoon I only vaguely remember, as even the child version of me didn’t care for it.
When I saw that you finished talking about the 1986 movie and there was still 30 more minutes of video to go I got soooo confused lmao. This was a a total blast, and a very interesting analysis of this strange but compelling franchise! Especially your research of the works PRIOR to the Corman movie! Great video!
Thank you! Going through each episode of the 1991 Cartoon wasn’t easy, but now that I’m looking back, the portion of the video where I discuss it has become my favorite section of the video
I do love the debate over what the "right" ending was for the movie-musical version. On the one hand, the original ending fits the themes of the story and was shot so spectacularly that it's impossible not to love it for all of that...but at the same time this version of Seymour is just generally more sympathetic than he is in the stage version. I mean, he's still sympathetic on stage, but you get more of a premonition that he's dooming himself and his loved ones, he plays a more active role in Mushnik's death, and he even gets to go down fighting, whereas the original theatrical cut has a more passive, thoroughly likable Seymour who gets a prolonged, really terrifying death to dwell on, which is a tough ask for your audience after giving them a chance to get to like the guy over the course of the movie. It's part of the movie's legend, though; not many films can generate a real conversation over a creative choice like that!
In all honesty, I actually like Little Shop and I feel that it's severely over hated. I will say, not all the music is great, but it's still a fun watch. Also it did annoy me a bit to see you think it was in the same timeline with the 1986 musical/ constantly compare it to that film, because it's based off the 1960 movie due to it being public domain, but this video was still a fun watch and pretty informative.
Thank you! I won’t lie the cartoon started to grow on me 😂 Looking back, the section of this video where I make fun of the cartoon is probably my favorite even though it was my biggest hurdle with editing this
There's another channel that's pointed out why the ending in little shop of horrors was changed. And it has to do with the way that Seymour is characterized in the movie versus the musical. His greed and moral decline are more shown in the stage version, while the movie tones him down and makes him nicer and meek. When I watch the scene of Seymour becoming famous and wealthy, he's never comfortable. He comes off as overwhelmed and hating every minute of it. It's also different as Mushnik in the movie had witnessed the chopping up of Orin, made it clear that he was going to tell the cops - but then blackmailed Seymour, trying to gain profit alone from the plant. This makes his death more in line of self-defense. And Seymour doesn't even tell him to enter the plant - he just distracts Mushnik until he's close to the plant and bows down into its trap. Mushnik doesn't know that the plant eats people unlike the 1960s version. That Mushnik wants to tell the cops, but realizes he's making money out of it. He tries to keep it under control by constantly interrogating Seymour and eventually feeding the plant through self-defense himself. In the musical, Mushnik doesn't know for sure that Seymour killed Orin - he doesn't know about the plant feeding on people. He knows something is wrong and is determined to do the right thing. He gives Seymour a chance to simply talk with the cops. There's not much that can prove he's complicit in Orins death. Seymour however sees him as a risk and feeds Mushnik to the plant, deliberately telling him to enter the plant since "he hid money in there." 1986 movie Seymour is too meek and kind, it doesn't feel like he deserves to be punished and he doesn't even fight the plant, he gets tossed around by it. Musical Seymour delved into the faustian bargain, became deplorable and then redeem himself when he tried to kill the plant no matter the risk so that the world would be safe. The video that talks about this is by Aaron Lockman - "Little Shop of Horrors, the Faust Myth and the American Dream". It's a neat analysis of the endings and characters.
I *VAGUELY* remember Little Shop. I remember watching like 10 minutes of it and then changing the channel. I never watched a full episode. Whenever it was on, I just turned the TV off and pulled out my homework. 😐
I'll admit I assumed I was going to already know most of the history because of how much of an obsessive fan I was/am, but I was more than happy to be humbled and learn about the three other original sources that predated and inspired the 60s movie This was a great video, awesome stuff! Also, probably the best review for the Little Shop cartoon, imo. Also also, Hercules from The Reluctant Orchid sounds like a miserable little asshole, but his aunt sounds h̶o̶t̶ awesome.
honestly, hot take, I prefer the bad ending. it may just be because Im also a Sweeney Todd fan and am a sucker for tragedy and metaphors for anti capitalism stuff but idk
