Little Shop Is an AIDS Play

Little Shop of Horrors is a weird fuckin' movie. In the first place, I really object to the fake flowers and the fake-looking plant and the fake sunsets. I just don't know why you wouldn't try to make things look more realistic. This film also involves an ending that totally differs from the stage show. I don't think I mind that quite as much. 

But... the important insight I had while watching this film is that I think Little Shop is an AIDS play. And if it isn't, this is certainly an AIDS movie. It's so weirdly about trying to process the violence of the medical profession, which in this play is represented by this strange dentist who is a drug addict and also a sexual sadist. The Bill Murray–Steve Martin sequence really seals that deal for me. Murray plays a kind of masochistic pervert, and he plays the character as a gay man. And then there is, of course, the blood. The plant takes over the whole world by feeding on Seymour's blood, and then it causes Seymour to hurt others, and it threatens and devours the heterosexual relationship at the play's center. 

(For the record I don't think AIDS causes anyone to hurt anyone, and I don't think it's devouring heterosexual relationships – or gay ones for that matter – I'm just saying that's how Little Shop is processing AIDS.)

This is a musical by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised about this, but I certainly had never thought of it before. 

Oh also Ellen Greene. Her performance is honestly incredible. Totally original and weird and genius. We are lucky to have her performance on film.