LSOH Original Film Ending

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 4/8/05 at 1:26pm

Okay, I know this has been touched on may times, but I'm going to bring it up again.

Does ANYONE have a copy of the original film ending? I have been looking for one for years, and at this point, I'm willing to spend money. I just finished reading a back issue of a special effects magazine that goes into great detail about it as well as some pictures I hadn't seen yet. Frank Oz says he wishes there was a re-release of the film with the original ending, so I've always wondered why they never included it with any of the DVD versions.

So, any help you can give me would be great!

Thanks

[Tiny-Toon]

Posted: 4/8/05 at 1:34pm

I have it on dvd..

[Carl Magnum]

Posted: 4/8/05 at 1:35pm

All I know is when the DVD got first released they included a rough cut of the original ending on the special features. But the studio pulled all the copys of it after they caught wind of it. The studio did not want the original ending included because they were the ones who requested the new ending and didn't want the original seen. A few copys of the dvd did get out there though and sold before all could be recalled. You might be able to find it on ebay or floating around on a bit torrent site or Kazza or something. I had it on my computer a couple years ago but is long since gone. As far as a finished clean print with the original ending attached, I don't think it exsists.

[Marquise]

Posted: 4/8/05 at 2:11pm

Carl, that's almost true. The studio (Warner Bros.) weren't the ones to demand a recall on the original Little Shop Special Edition DVD. It was actually David Geffen who demanded all copies be pulled because he wasn't consulted.

The original ending of the film wasn't changed because the studio didn't like it. It was changed because in test screenings the ending got low scores and many audience members were put off that Seymour and Audrey died so the studio then went and re-shot a new ending.

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 4/8/05 at 2:18pm

I have it on DVD, too. It's really interesting and, personally, I prefer the original ending. It more matches the original source material (e.g., B-grade horror film and stage musical). It's kind of funny seeing Audrey II stomping through cities (like King Kong or Godzilla) destroying things. Also, I kind of like seeing this section in B&W. It definitely gives it a differnt feeling.

[bjivie2]

Posted: 4/8/05 at 2:22pm

Yeah, I've seen the original movie ending. It's in black and white and the special effects are actually really cool. It's too bad they spent all that money and no one can see it.

[keggss23]

Posted: 4/8/05 at 2:40pm

I read somewhere that when they went back in to re-film the new ending, they couldn't find one of the urchins so they had to film it with a stand-in and in some parts there are only 2. Actually, now that I think about it, that was in the "Making of Little Shop" special feature on the DVD.

[the.hard.part]

Posted: 4/8/05 at 3:16pm

I have the original ending on video. IMO I liked it more then the happy ending they chose.
Updated On: 4/9/05 at 03:16 PM

[Caleb]

Posted: 4/8/05 at 4:37pm

The original ending is currently up on the fantastic Alan Menken fansite, www.alanmenken.info , just check under the downloads section!

[timote316]

Posted: 4/8/05 at 4:50pm

Thanks for the link Caleb! I really like the B & W. I wish the whole movie was like that, it really adds to the feeling of the movie.

[paradox_error]

Posted: 4/8/05 at 5:35pm

That was so fantastic to see!!!

I always liked the movie, but that ending was so much better, and Mean Green Mother fits so much better in this context.

I hope one day they reissue it, with the original ending put back in, so you could choose to watch either ending...

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 4/9/05 at 3:25am

I'm probably the only one here who likes the "happy" ending better. Admittedly the special effects of the original ending were pretty cool and it was in keeping with the stage production. However, on film there is greater emphasis placed on sympathy for these characters and less on the overall B-movie campiness; you can't help but want to cheer for Seymour and Audrey to live happily ever after. One's sympathies are especially strong for Audrey -- it's much more devestating to see Audrey die in the film than onstage. It's also strange that there's still a good 20 minutes left of film even though er death is the emotional climax of the musical.

I hope that's coherent -- it's 3:30am and I'm coming back from a night of drunken debauchery.

[Candleshoe2]

Posted: 4/9/05 at 8:28am

I thought the part when the Audrey 2's were wrecking the town was too long. It just kept on going.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 4/9/05 at 11:52am

Wow! Thanks guys! I'm gonna go download it now! Now, if I can find a copy in color.....

Nice avitar Candleshoe!

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 4/9/05 at 2:06pm

Thanks for the link, I've always wanted to see that! In my opinion, so much better than the new ending, even though I couldn't hear parts of it great. The whole show just leads to that direction, he made a deal with the devil so it shouldn't end happily. But I read somewhere, wasn't there supposed to be a part at the end where Seymour, Audrey, Mushnik and Orin were all little leaves on the plant? Maybe I missed that part, some of it was hard to see.

[Justice]

Posted: 4/9/05 at 2:09pm

Here is what I heard:
The DVD was recalled by Frank Oz because the end scene was in Black and White. He wanted to colorize it, so that is why they recalled it, and there would be a rerelease in the future once the process was done.

[Mythus]

Posted: 4/9/05 at 3:45pm

I doubt that, Justice. The original ending isn't even finished. Some of the special effects were never put it. They'd have to do all that before, uh, colorizing it.

[andyf]

Posted: 4/9/05 at 4:20pm

The original ending is HOT.

The entire last segment, with the plant overtaking the Statue of Liberty needs to be seen.

That's good that it's finally online, it took me forever to hunt down a copy.

Updated On: 4/9/05 at 04:20 PM

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 4/9/05 at 4:23pm

Well, now I can die "sorta" happy. After YEARS of waiting to see the original ending, I finally saw it today, although the quality wasn't the best. But, I DID get a feel of what they did and it was better than I could have imagined.

This is coming from someone who was given the OC Off B-Way recording in High School (Some 25 years ago) and have always loved the show. I was actually one of the geeks camping out so I could be the first to see it, when the film opened.

Thanks Caleb, for showing me the link, and thanks everyone else for rubbing it in my face that you have it on DVD (Just kidding )

This board ROCKS!

[bare_nakedlady]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 1:44pm

If you missed it on Alan's Website...


CHECK OUT WHAT I FOUND

[StageWhore]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 1:51pm

The plant overtaking the statue of liberty? I think I have a different version. Is that in the very old b&w with Jack Nicholson and Jonathan Haze?

[Buscee]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 2:01pm

No thats the Original Version Movie, not the movie musical

[Wanderingchild5]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 2:15pm

My friends dad spent a ton of money and bought it on Ebay I think hes going to sell it again

[Kringas]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 2:26pm

Is that in the very old b&w with Jack Nicholson and Jonathan Haze?

Yes. Ellen Greene really looks the same as she did in 1960, doesn't she?


It's in black and white cause it's a work print. The finished copied would have been cleaned up, edited, had all the sound mixed and processed in color.

[Mandi Moo]

Posted: 1/28/06 at 2:52pm

The original ending makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.