Musical Monday: Little Shop of Horrors (TIE) - Feed Me & Mean Green Mother From Outer Space (#3).

[Every Monday, I'm going to be counting down my 52 favorite musical numbers from musical movies and TV shows. I might not like the full movie/show, but the number makes the list for various reasons: 1) I have to like the song, 2) the visual of how the number is performed is most likely unique or fun, 3) both song and visual mixes well to create an exciting or powerful number. So let's get to the next on the list.]

We all know that one of my favorite movies of all time is the 1986 musical version of Little Shop of Horrors. Needless to say, it was very difficult choosing which songs to put on this list. When it came down to it, I had to put a tie for third. And there's really no surprise either that both are essentially "villain" songs.

The first is "Feed Me (Git It)," the song that Audrey II and Seymour sing when Audrey II first starts speaking. It's a "Devil on the Shoulder" type song, with the plant talking the good-natured Seymour into committing murder in order to feed it. Not only is the song great and catchy, but the camera work and blocking is great. Seymour is excited at the beginning and is, thus, close to the plant. Then the plant says what it wants, and for the bulk of the rest of the song, Seymour is on the opposite end of the room (unless Audrey II forces him closer). It's not until the breaking point when he finally makes Seymour snap that he gets closer to the plant once again--almost too close--showing they are finally in the same mindset.



Then there's the finale song, Mean Green Mother From Outer Space. This song is actually absent from the stage version, written especially for the film version. It's the showdown between Seymour and Audrey II, where the plant reveals everything and what it's really there to do. It's a David and Goliath battle that David was originally supposed to lose. And it's also one of the freakiest and most menacing songs on this list. I also love the short segment where Audrey II references other monster/alien movies. And it also has some outstanding puppetry and practical work going on here. Anyway, here you go!