DVD Review: RiffTrax - The Little Shop of Horrors (1960)

The infamous crew of Mystery Science Theater 3000 take turns jesting and riffing on the already funny 1960 classic, creating yet another hit-but-mostly-miss comedy routine. Consistently commenting on the off-key music and bad accent of a talking, flesh-eating plant, the crew certainly has a few buoyant jokes that hit the mark with accuracy and precision. Even if there is a long and annoying string of tired puns near the end, this may be the best RiffTrax cycle yet.

Edging close to getting fired, Seymour Krelboin has the strong desire to prove to his boss that he is capable of having a green thumb. Working at a run down flower shop owned by Gravis Mushnik, Seymour decides to cross breed a Butterwort and a Venus Flytrap to create something unimaginable: A talking, flesh eating plant that demands more food each day, resulting in a string of random murders.

The original Little Shop of Horrors has the cheerful ambition of being likable and fun. And it is, particularly from the large amount of empty-headed antics. The film rattles along with a pleasing rambunctiousness, tossing off its drollery and one-liners and scoring on a remarkably high percentage of them.

This 1960 Roger Corman camp classic is largely entertaining, insanely goofy and supremely satisfying. Given the film’s shoestring budget and cheap effects, it basically relies solely on entertaining with its slaphappy characters (including a psychotic dentist, a flesh-eating plant with one too many accents and a flower eating costumer) and screwball comedy, scoring laughs on many different levels. Keep an eye out for a young, yet still morbidly deranged, Jack Nicholson as the man who drastically enjoys going to the dentist more than anything else in the world.

Remade into a somewhat disappointing musical in 1986 by critically acclaimed director Frank Oz, this classic tour de force is a silly comedy riddled with more satire than your average spoof movie. And it works remarkably well with a hilarious conclusion. All its shortcomings are forgiven once in tune with its cornball, gag-show of hilarity. Sit back, relax and enjoy one of the silliest films ever made. 

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Article Author: Derek Fleek

Derek Fleek is an online movie critic and promoter of the site Popcorn Monsters. His favorite genres are horror (modern and classic), comedy horror, and occasionally a good drama. His favorite movie is Pulp Fiction and his favorite director is Quentin Tarantino. …

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  • 1 - nathan

    Jun 23, 2009 at 12:28 pm

    little shop of horrors ending

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