“If you wanna be profound, if you really gotta justify, take a breath and look around, a lot of folks deserve to die!.”
What would it take for women to rule the world? Would this unprecedented power come in the form of a female politician? Or perhaps the mysterious disappearance of all the earth’s men? Maybe world domination could arrive in the form of an alien plant that invades during a solar eclipse and slowly spreads its sinister roots. That’s the origins of the mean, green mother from outer space that tries to conquer humanity in Frank Oz’s 1986 musical Little Shop of Horrors. Though menacing, this deadly plant is not the only form of feminine strength in the strangely sunny story. Adapted from Roger Corman’s 1960 film, this musical rendition explores toxic masculinity and female empowerment at the heart of a troubled community.
Seymour (Rick Moranis) is a down-on-his-luck botanist working at Mushnik’s Flower Shop and trying to make his way in the world. The shy orphan has a major crush on his coworker Audrey (Ellen Greene) despite the fact that she’s in a relationship with an openly abusive and sadistic dentist. When a strangely attractive plant falls into his possession, Audrey II (Levi Stubbs) seems like an answer to his prayers. Customers begin flooding the store, dying to see this unusual specimen. But along with the fame and opportunity comes a terrifying responsibility. Audrey II will only grow if Seymore feeds her an ever-increasing supply of flesh and blood.
In the latest episode of Bloody FM’s The Lady Killers podcast, co-hosts Jenn Adams, Sammie Kuykendall, and Rachel Reeves explore the feminine world of Oz’s film while singing along with its infectious songs. What does Audrey see in Orin (Steve Martin)? How does her relationship with Seymore improve her life? Will she be happy in a place that’s green, and who taught Audrey II how to operate a pay phone? They’ll answer these questions and more while singing along with this enchanting film.
Stream below and subscribe now via Apple Podcasts and Spotify for future episodes that drop every Thursday.
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