31 Days of Drafts and Darkness:

"Little Shop of Horrors" (1986)

You know what's funny? The more Halloween films I see, the more I see horror wed to comedy. What is it about scary themes and atmosphere that lends itself so well to laughter? It is that we like some levity to go with our darkness? Maybe a gleam of hope amid chaos?

Probably, but my take's a bit more simple. Much like Halloween, one of the best ways to overcome fear is to have fun with it. Not avoid, but rather embrace it. Make it your own.

Tonight's entry is a Halloween classic that's more comedy than strict horror. Oh sure, plenty of folks get devoured over the course of "Little Shop of Horrors", but everything's staged in such a dramatic and musical fashion that the film's far more upbeat than grisly.

The Plot:

Seymour is a down-on-his luck New Yorker struggling to make ends meet in skid row's neighborhood flower shop. Quiet, shy, and meek, Seymour is dying to express his affection for coworker Audrey, a sweet but chronically abused city gal who's taste in sleaze-ball boyfriends often backfires on her. Both Seymour and Audrey dream of a better life, free of the gutter.

Things turn around one day when Seymour comes across a bizarre plant on the streets of New York. Being the neighborhood florist, he sets up the little plant in the shop and is surprised to find it attract a tidal wave of attention. Nearly everyone's gotta stop by and check out that amazing plant! And heck, why not pick up a dozen roses while visiting? Within weeks, Seymour's gone from broke nobody to local celebrity. The shop's thriving, but unfortunately, Seymour's little floral pal isn't. For all the water and attention Seymour dotes on the plant, it seem to wither away. 

That is until the day it gets its first taste of blood.

Now Audrey 2, as Seymour's named the sprout, is growing bigger - and more hungry - by the day. This plant is Seymour's shot to success, but it's starting to set its sights on bigger snacks.

The Flavor:

Based on both an early Roger Corman horror film and subsequent Broadway show, the 80's remake of "Little Shop of Horrors" combines both the campy sci-fi elements of the original with the stage-like production of the musical. Though light-hearted, "Little Shop" is a cautionary tale, almost Faustian, about going too far to seek out your dreams. This film's theatrical ending is actually an optimistic departure from the original, but we'll get to that in a minute. Though this "Little Shop" has a few creepy moments, the majority of the film is drenched in a hokey charm that'll put a smile on your face throughout.

Having viewed this film again for the first time in years, I had forgotten how many beloved 80's comic superstars it featured. Aside from Rick Moranis's heroic Seymour, you have Steve Martin as sadistic dentist, with Bill Murray as his masochistic patient, and the late, great John Candy as a radio host. Each is in their comedic prime and plays their character as high-energy and demented as possible. Be they in the role of hero or villain, a main character or mere cameo, each is bound to make you crack up.

As Audrey, Ellen Page gets to surprise the audience by speaking in a wispy little New York accent, then blasting her voice up to operatic levels during musical numbers. Some of her high-notes give you chills. And then of course, we can't leave out Levi Stubbs, who soulfully voices Audrey 2, the killer plant. Channeling jazz and the blues, Stubbs makes for a monster that's as blood-thirsty as any other horror icon, but insanely charismatic. This rousing cast combine comedy, Broadway bombast, and sci-fi shlock into a tremendously entertaining and very catchy film.

Also, as I mentioned earlier, the film's theatrical ending is not the original. Though the ending you've likely seen is the 'happy' one, there exists another climax. Though I won't spoil it, let's just say the original ending pays a more traditional homage to old school scary movies. It was actually the most expensive part of the movie to film, and when you see it, you'll get why. Test audiences felt it too dark, so they went back and filmed the more upbeat version.

While this does sort of counteract the fact that the story's supposed to be a tragedy, I still find myself giving the happy ending a pass just because the characters are so loveable. You want to see them succeed. 

To be honest, I like both endings. The darker finale touches on the story's lesson and pays homage to old-school alien invasion flicks, while the lighter version is more enjoyable on the character level.  

Best Paired with:

With lots of monstrous moments but very little violence, "Little Shop of Horrors" makes for a great family Halloween film. There's a little coarse dialogue and a few references to bedroom antics, but it's all implied and will go over the head of any kid watching it. For the most, the scenes where Audrey 2 chows down on an unsuspecting character are set up darkly, but executed in a comic style that's far from bloody. Most of the time, Audrey 2's late night snacks are played for laughs.

"Little Shop" also has a rousing musical score that'll be stuck in your head for days, so any fans of musicals should be sure to check it out. There's also plenty of love given to some of the monster and alien films of the 50's, so if movies like "Them" are up your alley, "Little Shop" has some treats for you as well.

Despite a grim-sounding title, "Little Shop of Horrors" is a fairly light-hearted and fun little movie.   

Accompanying Brew:

Given the home-grown nature of our film's villain, how about we go with something organic tonight?

Otter Creek/Wolaver's is a Vermont-based brewery out of Middlebury that produces a selection of USDA-certified organic beers. Though they keep their selections simple with a solid lineup of ales, stouts, and IPAs, their offerings are consistently high-quality and delicious. This is fast-becoming one of my go-to craft brewers.

Wolaver's Pumpkin Ale pulls no fancy tricks or gimmicks. It's your basic pumpkinhead ale with the standard array of Fall spices. The approach is typical, but the execution is gold. With only a subtle use of sweet and spicy, Wolaver's Pumpkin Ale has more pure pumpkin flavor than any other pumpkinhead I've tried. You can really taste the vegetable-like tang of the pumpkin with each sip. The cinnamon is light enough to amp the flavor without taking over and the sweetness never gets cloying. I'd actually recommend not using a cinnamon-sugar rim on the glass when drinking this ale. Avoiding the extra spice and sugar will allow you to appreciate the softer flavors and crisp body.

Of all the pumpkin beers I've tried, Wolaver's Pumpkin Ale is my favorite. 

For an experience that's high in quality and simply wants to make its audience smile, both "Little Shop of Horrors" and Wolaver's Pumpkin Ale make for a great seasonal pairing.

"Feed me, Seymour!"

...how about a drink?