By Tiana Rosiak – Entertainment Editor

The musical-comedy film “Little Shop of Horrors” was released in theaters on December 19, 1986. The movie, based on the 1982 off-Broadway musical of the same name which was additionally based on the 1960 comedy film, follows Seymour (Ricky Geravis), a quiet and meek flower shop worker who finds and cares for a strange plant (Levi Stubbs) that he quickly discovers needs more than just water to survive.

“Little Shop of Horrors” is heavily defined by it’s strong and well made soundtrack. With a thirteen song soundtrack, the film is made better by the music in it. Tracks like “Suddenly Seymour,” “Mean Green Mother from Outer Space,” and “Skid Row (Downtown)” are all well-written and are noticeably catchy. At certain points, the songs can add to the comedic aspect of the film. The musical scene “Dentist!” tells of a local dentist who was advised by his mother to begin the job because he can then inflict pain upon others. The scene itself is both humorous and entertaining, adding to the enjoyment of the film.

There aren’t many negative things that stand out about “Little Shop of Horrors,” however, one main critique of the movie is that most side characters are heavily underdeveloped. Aside from Seymour, the main character; Audrey, his love interest; and Audrey II, the killer plant Seymour cares for, other characters are essentially thrown to the side. If they aren’t incredibly important to the plot or main characters, those additional characters in the film do not have much depth to them and are only there for either comedic relief or conflict. While it isn’t essential for a film like this to flesh out every character, it becomes somewhat distractive in this.

Overall, “Little Shop of Horrors” is a well-made film with many memorable moments in its run time. The plot itself is interesting and unique, and the music is well done, culminating in a fun viewing experience for the audience.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars