“The Little Shop of Horrors” is a 1960 American horror-comedy film directed by Roger Corman. The story is about a young florist’s assistant named Seymour Krelborn (Jonathan Haze) who works in a flower shop on Skid Row in Los Angeles. He discovers a strange plant that he names “Audrey Jr.” after his co-worker and secret crush, Audrey Fulquard (Jackie Joseph).
Seymour soon learns that Audrey Jr. has a craving for human blood and can talk. As the plant grows, Seymour is forced to feed it more and more people to keep it alive. Seymour becomes increasingly conflicted about the plant’s demands and eventually tries to destroy it, but Audrey Jr. fights back and ultimately kills him.
The film features a memorable cast of characters, including Seymour’s sadistic dentist, Orin Scrivello (played by Jack Nicholson in one of his earliest roles), and the flower shop’s owner, Gravis Mushnick (Mel Welles). The film is notable for its low-budget production values and dark humor, and has since become a cult classic. It was later adapted into a successful stage musical and a 1986 film adaptation directed by Frank Oz.
Directors:
Roger Corman
Writer:
Charles B. Griffith, Roger Corman
Stars:
Jonathan Haze, Jackie Joseph, Mel Welles