I fell in love with Little Shop of Horrors [the 1986 film version with Ellen Greene & Rick Moranis] at age eleven. Years later, such greatness has never moved from it’s place on the top of my list of favorite musicals. Obsession would have been the most honest word to use when describing my feelings toward this film a while [as in years] back. I can truthfully say that I knew almost all of the words…not only to the songs, but to the movie. Eventually I managed to find a VHS tape at a mall store, but it’s long since worn out…plus, the VCR player died forever. I, as recently as this past weekend, played the soundtrack while lifting my mood to happiness and annoying my live-in relatives. Who cannot resist the beauty of a gigantic, singing, inappropriate, blood-thirsty plant?
The Rocky Horror Picture show is the closest to perfection as second favorites get. Through an awkward series of events, I also saw this musical as a pre-teen. Honestly, I’m not sure how this happened…but my mother had confused The Rocky Horror Picture Show with Peewee’s Big Adventure and had me watch this sexually themed journey of greatness. “I saw them both at midnight in a theater.” was her excuse.
I watched RENT for the second time ever last night, but cried for the first. It’s probably the most addictive musical movie that I’ve seen. Unlike those mentioned above, I can’t just pause it at random and expect to be able to wait until later to see the rest. It’s rare that I can watch a movie all the way through without stopping.
I think that Sweeny Todd is darkly hilarious and Hairspray [the “old” movie version] rocks. I’ve never seen a musical other than film adaptations…but I refuse to die without seeing at least one live.
