The original ending of Little Shop of Horrors was too dark for 1986 audiences.
In short: Frank Oz's 1986 musical adaptation of Little Shop of Horrors is a cult classic, but its theatrical conclusion was a major departure from the original stage play. Test audiences rejected the film's initial, grim finale, leading to a complete rewrite that fundamentally changed the fate of the story's protagonists.
The 1986 film, directed by Frank Oz and produced by David Geffen, tells the story of Seymour Krelborn, a florist who discovers a sentient, blood-thirsty plant named Audrey II. While the film became a success, grossing $54 million worldwide, its path to the screen was complicated by its ambitious, 23-minute original finale. This sequence, which mirrored the stage musical's ending, saw Audrey die from her injuries and Seymour eventually consumed by the plant, which then proceeded to conquer the world.
When test audiences reacted poorly to this bleak conclusion, the production team opted to rewrite and reshoot the final act. In the theatrical version, Seymour manages to defeat the alien plant, saves Audrey, and the two escape to the suburbs for a happy ending. The original, darker version remained hidden for years as black-and-white workprint footage until Warner Home Video fully restored it in 2012, finally allowing fans to see the director's original vision.
The production of the film was a massive technical undertaking, filmed on the 007 Stage at Pinewood Studios in England. The set featured a detailed 'downtown' area complete with an overhead train track. Bringing Audrey II to life required a team of over 20 principal puppeteers, with Levi Stubbs providing the voice for the boisterous, extraterrestrial antagonist. The film also featured a notable cast, including Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, and Steve Martin, alongside cameos from Bill Murray and John Candy, who stepped in for Paul Dooley to play the botanical executive Patrick Martin in the reshot ending.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Little Shop of Horrors (film)
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