Palm Theatre: SLO Film Center San Luis Obispo, CA
Dr. Matt Ritter
Professor of Biological Sciences at Cal Poly
andDr. Jenn Yost
Professor of Biology at Cal Poly; Director of the Robert F. Hoover Herbarium
andGage Willey
Cal Poly Plant Conservatory Curator
Little Shop of Horrors (1986)— Carnivorous Plants: Feed Me, Valentine
Program Description
Join us on Valentine’s Day for our first Science on Screen selection, Little Shop of Horrors (1986), a cult musical that turns one of nature’s strangest realities into darkly comic spectacle. After the screening, Drs. Jenn Yost and Matt Ritter, joined by Gage Willey, Cal Poly’s Plant Conservatory Curator, will dig into the real science behind Audrey II and her carnivorous kin.
The discussion will explore how real carnivorous plants, like Venus flytraps, pitcher plants, and sundews, evolved to trap, digest, and kill their prey, why these extreme adaptations exist, and what they reveal about plant ecology and evolution. By connecting the film’s outrageous premise to real biological strategies, the speakers will discuss how Little Shop of Horrors taps into genuine scientific fascination, blurring the line between pulp fantasy and natural history.
During the discussion, live carnivorous plants will be showcased in the auditorium.
Presented At
Palm Theatre: SLO Film Center San Luis Obispo, CA
Film Synopsis
A nerdy florist finds his chance for success and romance with the help of a giant man-eating plant who demands to be fed.
Meek flower-shop assistant Seymour (Rick Moranis) pines for co-worker Audrey (Ellen Greene). A total eclipse brings a seeming reversal of fortune for him and the store: he discovers an unusual plant he names Audrey II (voiced by Levi Stubbs), an oddity that brings the press and curious customers to the shop. When it fails to thrive on water and sunlight, Seymour secretly discovers, to his horror, that the plant feeds only on human flesh and blood. After Seymour feeds Audrey's abusive boyfriend, Orin (Steve Martin), to Audrey II after Orin's accidental death, the increasingly bloodthirsty plant demands more bodies. If he refuses, will Seymour lose his newfound fame and his burgeoning romance with Audrey?
Image courtesy of PHOTOFEST
About the Speaker
Dr. Matt Ritter is a Professor of Biological Sciences at Cal Poly, where his work spans plant biology, biodiversity, and natural history. He is deeply engaged in research, teaching, and public outreach that bring plant science to broad audiences.
Dr. Jenn Yost is a Professor of Biology at Cal Poly and Director of the Robert F. Hoover Herbarium. Her work focuses on botany, plant evolution, and natural history collections, and she is widely known for her engaging teaching and dedication to California’s botanical heritage.
Gage Willey is the Cal Poly Plant Conservatory Curator and an all-around plantsman with a deep love for all things botanical. He is known for his exceptional ability to grow and care for an extraordinary diversity of plants in support of education and public engagement.