Anyone know where I could find the Alternate Ending DVD of Little Shop of Horrors?

[What Exit?]

We are watching this classic Frank Oz production and I checked the IMDB and found these notes:

SPOILER: The original ending featured extensive model shots of Audrey 2 wreaking havoc on the city to the song "Don't Feed the Plants". The ending was reshot after bad preview audience reaction.

SPOILER: The original script called for Audrey and Seymore to be eaten by Audrey II. Frank Oz changed it after negative reactions.

SPOILER: In 1998 the special edition DVD was released with the alternate "everybody dies" ending. A couple of days after its release the DVDs were yanked off the shelves and replaced with new ones that don't contain that ending. This is because producer David Geffen wanted to re-release the film in theaters with the gruesome ending.

I would like to track down a copy and also share thoughts and memories with anyone else of this movie.


When it came out I was only 20 and still in the service. My friends and I went and saw this a dozen times. It was almost a Rocky Horror light for us. We knew the lines and the lyrics. At late showings in San Diego, audience members would often sing along with the movie.

Rewatching today, I still find it almost as good today as back in 1986.

Jim

[BrainGlutton]

I did not know an alternate ending had been filmed for the 1986 film adaptation, but I do know the original film and the Broadway musical did not have "happy" endings (though they did have two slightly different endings). Knowing that, the film's ending (as released to theaters) made me seethe. Hello! The Hays Code was dead before 1970!

[pinkfreud]

The alternate ending is on YouTube:
LSoH Original Ending, Part 1
LSoH Original Ending, Part 2
LSoH Original Ending, Part 3

[fusoya]

Little Shop of Horrors was my #1 favorite movie when I was 9 years old. I watched it EVERY day, and listened to the soundtrack when I did my homework. Other movies have since taken over the title, but LSOH is still in my top 10, and I bought the DVD the day it came out, before I even knew what a collector's item it would turn into. The alternate ending was presented in black & white, crappy quality. I see somebody youtubed it above.

[GuanoLad]

I love this movie. Every single song is so catchy. And the original ending was a bit of a downer, I thought, so I'm glad they gave it a happy one. I really don't think the movie would've been as popular if it had kept the stage production ending.

[lissener]

It's not available. It goes for quite a pretty penny on eBay.

[What Exit?]

Originally Posted by pinkfreud

The alternate ending is on YouTube:
LSoH Original Ending, Part 1
LSoH Original Ending, Part 2
LSoH Original Ending, Part 3

Thanks, I will check those out.

Originally Posted by lissener

It's not available. It goes for quite a pretty penny on eBay.

I was afraid of that.

GuanoLad, I was watching the extras and Frank Oz said the original ending played terribly to the test audience and they went back and shot the alternate ending.

It was fun reliving this movie today.

Jim

[samclem]

Wait! There were songs in LSOH? Are we talking about the 1960's version?

[Ferret Herder]

Originally Posted by samclem

Wait! There were songs in LSOH? Are we talking about the 1960's version?

1986 version.

[What Exit?]

Originally Posted by samclem

Wait! There were songs in LSOH? Are we talking about the 1960's version?

The awesome 1986 Grank Oz and David Geffen effort. Not the $30,000 Roger Corman legend.

[lissener]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Little-Shop-of-H...QQcmdZViewItem

[What Exit?]

Originally Posted by lissener

http://cgi.ebay.com/Little-Shop-of-H...QQcmdZViewItem

It is a shame that they don't just release a special edition DVD with the alternate ending.

I followed pinkfreud's links. I think the test audience was right, that ending did not fit the direction the movie had gone.

BrainGlutton, funny you mentioned the Hays Code, as I understood it, if the Hays Code was still in effect, Seymour needed to either go to jail or die in the end so he did not profit from his murder.

As the ending was shown to at least one test audience, I am puzzled by only the black and white version being on the DVD. Seems odd, anyone know the back story on this one?

Jim

[Otto]

Trivia tidbit, the film had a trading card series release which included cards depicting the original ending.

[Tool of the Conspiracy]

I know I shouldn't post hearsay, but...
I heard that the reason for the DVD recall was that they didn't have rights to the additional song, "Don't Feed the Plants". Legally, the DVD could contain only the songs that were in the movie as it was shown in theaters, not all of the songs from the stage musical.

[Otto]

Originally Posted by Tool of the Conspiracy

I know I shouldn't post hearsay, but...
I heard that the reason for the DVD recall was that they didn't have rights to the additional song, "Don't Feed the Plants". Legally, the DVD could contain only the songs that were in the movie as it was shown in theaters, not all of the songs from the stage musical.

The soundtrack album has been released on vinyl, cassette and CD with the song in place. It would be strange indeed for rights issues with the song to affect the DVD but not the soundtrack album.

[What Exit?]

Originally Posted by Tool of the Conspiracy

I know I shouldn't post hearsay, but...
I heard that the reason for the DVD recall was that they didn't have rights to the additional song, "Don't Feed the Plants". Legally, the DVD could contain only the songs that were in the movie as it was shown in theaters, not all of the songs from the stage musical.

IMDB claims: "This is because producer David Geffen wanted to re-release the film in theaters with the gruesome ending."

I quoted it in the Op.

[Tool of the Conspiracy]

Originally Posted by Otto

The soundtrack album has been released on vinyl, cassette and CD with the song in place. It would be strange indeed for rights issues with the song to affect the DVD but not the soundtrack album.

IANA intellectual property lawyer. Stranger things have happened... For a while, wasn't the movie Heavy Metal available on VHS, while its soundtrack was in rights-limbo?

[Tool of the Conspiracy]

Originally Posted by What Exit?

IMDB claims: "This is because producer David Geffen wanted to re-release the film in theaters with the gruesome ending."

I quoted it in the Op.

I know, but IMDB isn't a reliable source. (They used to repeat the false "fact" that Vonnegut and Seuss went to school together.)
I'm saying that I heard a different reason for it.

[Thudlow Boink]

Originally Posted by samclem

Wait! There were songs in LSOH? Are we talking about the 1960's version?

You're thinking of The Little Shop of Horrors. Completely different title.