MovieChat Forums > Little Shop of Horrors (1986) Discussion > Social constructs, and musical racism?

Social constructs, and musical racism?

posted 15 years ago by drama2008
63 replies | jump to latest

I have to write an essay for my English class on the social construct, of the musical, so I would greatly appreciate any opinions of the topic you may have.

My professor suggested that I use the roles of Chiffon, Ronette, Crystal and the voice of Audrey 2, as my basis. For example: Although the mastermind which propels the movie forward, Audrey 2, is voiced by a “black ( for lack of a better term at this point in time)” male, the chorus girls which are “minor” characters, are the real reason behind the success of the movie. The “main” characters are played by “whites (once again used in this context for lack of a better term).
So what, I’m trying to get across, in a terrible fashion, is Do you think there was a racial reason for have the “Mean Green Mother from Outer Space” being voiced by a “black” male, or the Chorus girls also being “black” while the constant characters were white?

On a side note, I did not mean to offend anyone by using the words “black and white”, and if I did, my deepest regrets.

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] cheluzal 11 years ago

On a side note, I did not mean to offend anyone by using the words “black and white”, and if I did, my deepest regrets.

What offends me is you thinking these terms are offensive...

Real LOSERS spell 'loser' looser!

[–] b-touch 10 years ago

The three Chrous girls are black because they are supposed to represent Skid Row versions of the black girl groups that were becoming popular at the time the film is set, such as the Marvelettes or the Ronettes. They are in particular designed to look like The Supremes, who didn't break big until 1964 (the film is set somewhere between 1961 and 1963 since Kennedy is President - the film only specifies early 1960s itself. The original film was made in 1960.). That urban style is better suited to the setting, and indeed gives the cast a strong dose of multiculturalism.

I don't know how racist it is that the evil talking plant who clearly represents the devil in this Faustian tale has the vocal stylings of a black soul singer (and that the film version casts one of the most popular such singers in the role). To be honest, as black man, I always found it awesome, though the (more or less inoffensive) use of the stereotype of the "sassy black person" (usually a female in these musicals, and look, we have them too) isn't lost on me. It isn't as if the script trades on any racially offensive jokes or gags involving the black characters or, uh, the plant.

And look at it this way: in the stage version and original version of the film, who wins?

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] clayblack-87039 9 years ago

To be fair it is an interesting point, but I think the reason those characters were black..... was the quality of their voices. Now this may seem racist in itself, I am not saying that white singers would not have been amazing. LOL I just mean that the quality of Levi Stubbs (RIP) was outstanding and was perfect for the movie. Could you imaging anyone else doing what he did. Maybe a few auditioned, but he was perfection.

[–] oldpunkwebzine 9 years ago

Oh boy, Constructs... marxism is a mental disorder when not being nihilistic and genocidal.

[–] cameron-whyte 9 years ago

Years old this thread, but the cast would have represented New York at the time.

[–] brtndr 9 years ago

I have to write an essay for my English class on the social construct, of the musical, so I would greatly appreciate any opinions of the topic you may have.

My professor suggested that I use the roles of Chiffon, Ronette, Crystal and the voice of Audrey 2, as my basis.

I think that it's pretty safe to assume that this is a college English class and not a high school class you're attending. So, if that's truly the case?

Then, what you should be asking yourself instead is, "Why have I borrowed hundreds of thousands of dollars in government guaranteed school loans (at interest) just to end up having to focus on a bunch of unrelated trivial racial crap while watching a great movie like, "Little Shop of Horrors"?

Then after you've asked yourself that important question. Then come to the realization that, "Even if there was a racial motivation involved in the decision to cast Levi Stubbs as the voice of the mean green mother from outer space. How is that knowledge going to help me pay back the hundreds of thousands of dollars that I borrowed (at interest) to acquire my worthless college degree?".

When you can come up with a answer to that question? Then, I'll be more than happy to listen.