User Reviews

A spaceship makes an emergency landing on Earth and the pilot -a talking cat- run into spies, the army, Ken Berry and Sandy Duncan in his mission to get back home. Exciting for youngsters, if not as funny as the average Disney-comedy. A nice cast (with support from the likes of McLean Stevenson, Harry Morgan and Roddy McDowall) although Ken Berry has always seemed like the guy they get if Dean Jones has better things to do. Worth mentioning is it's great finale with some impressive stunts thousands of feet above the ground. Noted for being veteran Disney-director Norman Tokar's final film (he died the following year).

A feline from another planet makes an unscheduled stop on Earth. While the U.S. military ponders over his spacecraft and tries to determine if it's Russian (or otherwise) in origin, he makes contact with a bumbling, likeable, eccentric scientist (Ken Berry) and implores the human to help him with his spacecraft repairs. Meanwhile, a nefarious enemy agent (William Prince) is determined to unravel the secrets of the cats' powerful collar.

It's true that you can't be too hard on films like this. Although, as an adult, I found "The Cat from Outer Space" overlong and not always good at gaining momentum, it's still quite engaging family fare that the kids ought to enjoy. Certainly the talented cast makes it quite easy to watch: Sandy Duncan is cute as Berry's would-be love interest, McLean Stevenson a hoot as his sports-obsessed pal, Harry Morgan hilarious as a ramrod-straight Army general. There's a generous dose of familiar faces in the supporting cast, too: Roddy McDowall, Jesse White, Alan Young, Hans Conried, Ronnie Schell (who plays both Sergeant Duffy and the voice of Jake the cat), James Hampton, Howard Platt, etc. Berry is quite personable in the lead.

Overall, this is fairly mild as far as live-action Disney comedy goes, with not that many true laugh-out-loud moments, but again, kids are likely to be far less judgmental, and may very well take to most of the gags (there is one good laugh when we see Morgans' underwear); young and old alike will be endeared to the feline star, a very well trained animal indeed. The airborne finale is reasonably tense and exciting.

Sorrell "Boss Hogg" Booke appears unbilled at the conclusion, in his final feature film appearance.

Seven out of 10.

Wow, now this is certainly a rarity – a talking animal flick that doesn't rely on that moving-mouth-n-lip-synch gimmick which has really been dogging the genre of late (bad pun on my part, I know). Sure, the only thing we can attribute this merit to is its age – as others round here have already pointed out, were this movie shot in this day and age the overused and overplayed technique would have undoubtedly been employed. I also imagine that, at some point during the running time, they'd have Jake spit up a big slimy hairball, mark his territory over some sucker's flowerbed, and stick a leg in the air so he can lick at his crotch – along with any other animal bodily function they could swipe a gag out of. It's one of those reasons why, for all its skimpy production values, 'the Cat from Outer Space' is now such a refreshing blast from the past – in an era swamped by crude, flashy animal movies made exclusively for the under-12 market, this is comes across as quite a pleasant piece of nostalgia, harking back to the good old days when the humour was always clean, and any critter who wanted to wrap their tongue around the English language did so the conveniently telepathic way. (Yikes, I'm starting to sound like a right old whinger here, which really I'm not, but that's just how jaded I am).

As a stand-alone film, TCFOS is very much a cheesy but warm-hearted affair and, for fans of all things sublime n' feline like myself, this was a childhood classic growing up in the 1980s. Back then, it always qualified as my runner-up pick for Disney's coolest live action feature, second only to the original 'Incredible Journey' (yeah, I *did* watch Mary Poppins', but never really got much further than the animated sequences – it just got boring after that). I happened to come across it on my shelves recently, having left it undisturbed for several years, and decided it was time for a revisit.

The worst thing about it is inevitably the title (which just screams 'B Movie!', don't it?), only just managing to pip some of the flat and, quite frankly, irritating human characters on display to the post, who've more-or-less accepted that churning out even Oscar-worthy performances ain't gonna spare them from being upstaged by the four-legged favourite. Sandy Duncan in particular portrays a bimbo so staggering it'll make your jaw drop that she even made it into the paranormal research department (plus, she believes all of Frank's lame excuses – yikes, how dumb is she?). Then there's that spy character who insists on speaking with such loathsome smarminess not seen since 'the Shop Around the Corner', you could break your TV screen trying to sock him one in the mouth.

The best things about TCFOS, oddly enough, owe a lot to the retrospectives we have after 26 years. Jake is definitely entitled to feel smug that he was getting himself stranded on planet Earth, amongst all the typically hostile folks, and making his human ally's bicycle fly *four freakin' years* before ET showed up on the scene (is that uncanny or what?). Not to mention the casually conniving fashion in which Jake goes about trying to secure his way back home, somehow managing to involve rigged sports games along the way; ethics so dodgy by today's standards that really you gotta love it. And the special effects are now so crude and outdated that, well, they're cute! Jake is undeniably the star of this vehicle, churning out all the better lines of dialogue, and this is such an endearing story deep down that it's all too bad that the script never delves particularly deeply into his friendship with Frank (after all, ET's major trump card was always his lump-in-the-throat relationship with Elliot), choosing instead to skim through the character interactions at such a pace that the film never really has the chance to deliver any true emotional wallop.

I did also get a kick out of reading the previous comment concerning the body language of the feline double act playing Jake, and will verify it all the way – pay close attention to the climax in particular, and note that the poor kitty currently on the scene looks positively bewildered!

Sure, it's imperfect and now that I'm older I can see where the faults lie a lot more than I used to – but still, it's a likable and evocative romp, and personally I'd much rather be subject to this than to recent animal conspiracy theory trash like 'Cats and Dogs' or 'Good Boy!', any day. A real treat for cat lovers everywhere.

Grade: B-

This movie was one of my earliest memories of childhood and a fond one at that.

This was Disney making a sci fi movie fit for children, it's cute, it's campy, it's not meant to be an Oscar-grabbing masterpiece of acting, effects, or even plot. If Disney had produce the pinnacle of special effects, acting and storyline for its day, everyone would trash it as being either too complex, or unsuitable for children. Disney makes movies for kids, that's what they do. Deal with it.

Kids would be frightened by a true alien being, so a cat is a suitable substitute, makes for a warm cuddly visual even. The story had to be simple or kids wouldn't and couldn't follow it.

Those who want to critique this film as though it were high art need to get over it. If a 6 year old needs to be handed Masterpiece Theater to properly entertain them, there is something very wrong indeed.

I have been slowly introducing my children to the great Disney family movies of the 70's. They were a little hesitant to watch this movie stating, "Not another one of Dad's old movie favorites"! But time and time again, they find themselves laughing out loud and realizing why this and others (Snowball Express, Blackbeard's Ghost, Herbie Rides Again, Shaggy D.A.) are family classics. This one was extra special because it starred a lovable pussycat who happens to be, "From Outer Space." Oddly enough, our cat Aslan, watched this movie from start to finish. The kids all joked that it was, "his favorite movie." Our children need more movies like this one! Fun, light-hearted comedies with family-oriented values and an interesting storyline that stimulates the imagination.

This movie is just fun. No serious plot, just an enjoyable movie with some really wonderful actors. If anyone has kids, enjoys cats, or just likes a lighthearted film, see this one. This movie is the reason we named our cat "Jake" not because of his looks, but because of his intelligence (from another world you might say).

I still list this classic from my "kittenhood" as one of the best of it's kind. Just a must see for cat lovers, and animal lovers of all kinds. Just really cute story, very funny and all around great for kids of all ages!

If you have not seen since were a kitten maybe you need to see it again. If have not seen it then see it! It's Disney so how can you go wrong?

I wish they would do more like this. I mean sure they did Cats and Dogs and have done others but non that deal with space Cats or such, not in long time.

Meow!

I've watched this movie when I was a kid and loved it, now I'm 25 and I watched it again yesterday and loved it even more! OK, so it might be simplistic and naive, but it's good old-style Disney. OK, so the cat who comes from a Galaxy far far away looks exactly like an Earth cat, and speaks perfect English. So what? You can't spend 1 hour in a 1 and a half hour film showing the cat and the human trying to "understand each other" and a "universal translator" would be just as stupid. So forget that, accept it, and enjoy the story! Some of the funny stuff probably works better for kids then for adults, but it still makes you smile. The cat talks, but no stupid and ugly 3D/puppet moving mouth, just good old fashioned training and snacks behind camera to make him "act" perfectly! And he does: a close-up on his face and his stare makes you BELIEVE that he is talking. There are some goofs and some mistakes, sometimes you see a puppet-cat (for stunts!)which is obviously a puppet, but it's still a very enjoyable movie for all ages! I just wish they made more of these films now!

This was the first movie that I ever *remember* seeing. It stands out in my mind (and yes probably has clouded my viewing judgement for years) because it was the first film to ever feature the mode of moggy that has been my constant companion for over 25 years - The Abbysinian. An Abby was the perfect cat to play Zunar-J5/9-Doric-47 (or Jake for the non fanatics out there). Being three years old and the proud owner of one of the first Abbys in Australia - I remember for days after putting different collars on my very patient cat Tawney and begging him to talk to me. He obviously didn't, and it broke my little heart, but what he couldn't express verbally he more than made up for with his smooches and furry nudges. Ok the Film never won an Oscar, it was a Disney Kid flick, but as kid flicks go - it was all right. And lets face it - I can't be all bad, McLean Stevenson, Harry Morgan AND Roddy McDowell! Now if I could just find out who did the voice of Jake!

I initially saw this movie as a child and thoroughly enjoyed it. I have actually looked for it for years and am thrilled it is out on DVD. As most fun Disney films, it's not meant to be 'realistic' - just entertaining fun. Disney wasn't looking to develop masterful characters here but enjoyable ones that could help convey positive messages through the story line. Most young kids would enjoy this film, intrigued by the smart cat from another planet. Most kids would get into the plot, will probably be using their imaginations to construct pictures of the cat's home planet, and will be rooting for him to make it home. If you can withdraw from the current thrust of fast-pace, high-tech film to relax with a cute story, I'd say enjoy!

Films lauding cats come around about as often as Halley's Comet, so whenever one does arrive it should be shouted about from the rooftops. Yeah, sure... Dogs save peoples lives, look cute and are a reliable source of defecation jokes, but can anything compare to the grace and mystique of a feline? I say no. And if you disagree, you're wrong. 'Nuff said.

It's a pretty unusual plot... A cat from another planet crashlands on our shores in his spaceship, and needs 120k dollars worth of gold for repairs (Don't ask). He enlists the help of a maverick scientist, a ditzy blonde and a sleazy gambler to these ends, all the while pursued by the military and an evil criminal mastermind, who would LOVE to possess the pussy's magical collar (which has levitation and telepathic powers).

What did I tell ya? I said it was an odd story... And yet, despite the sheer inanity of what's on display, it somehow all holds together. The mystical capabilities of the collar provide much of the humour, including freezing people in mid-movement, and helping to rig a very one-sided game of pool.

The special effects are about as good as you'd expect from the 70's (e.g not very) but the adorable cat is so well trained you'd almost think it WAS an intelligent extra-terrestrial lifeform, and with the exception of an over-elongated climax in the sky, there's little padding here to make young minds impatient.

So, not quite the cat's whiskers, but far from worthy of the litter box. Did'ja see what I did there?! 6/10

7 year old me: This is the greatest movie of all time!!!!

42 year old me: I loved this movie when I was 7, but like the vast majority of movies, this flick hasn't aged well at all.

It is what it is...a typical, campy Disney flick intended to capture the attention of kids while sprinkling in just enough humor for adults to not be suicidal while watching it. Nothing more, nothing less.

I can certainly see why this movie would be unwatchable to anyone over the age of 10 who hadn't already seen it, in which case I'll simply say that I'm sorry your childhood sucked.

This is one of my all time favorite childhood movies. (Another was a movie about a robotic dog named C.H.O.M.P.S. another great family movie.) I am 33 now but was 6 years old at the time when this movie first aired. I remember watching The Cat From Outer Space back home on my parents big wooden Zenith console TV set. (Yeah those were the thing to have back then… That was a time where there weren't any VCR's or cell phones. There certainly weren't any DVD's or flat screen TV's.. In fact the only flat screen I remember was the super 8 motion picture roll up screen my dad dragged out into the living room when we wanted to play the silent 8 mm motion picture movies we took of our vacations… Ahh yester-year.) For years I had this stuffed cat (that kind of looked like Jake). I also had this toy plastic ring toss set. I used one of the rings from the set and it fit perfectly on the stuff cat I had. For years (as a child) I was able to play The Cat From Outer Space at home with my home made figure to represent Jake. This movie has stood out for me since I first saw it as a child and now today I still look back on those years with fond memories. This movie is definitely a charming lighthearted tale (or should I say tail) and I certainly recommend it for the young and adult alike.. It's a movie that all can watch, love and enjoy. It's a movie that also has some of the actors that were big at that time.. Sandy Duncan, Roddy McDowall.. To name a few were big stars at that time… Their acting is timeless in this movie classic. OK So if you like family movies and have a soft spot for fun and youth in your heart… Get the kids together (or just pretend you're a kid again yourself) and have a great time watching, The Cat From Outer Space.

Rob..

NYC

Liked the idea for this movie a lot. I thought it would be good and it didn't disappoint not one bit. It was really good. It was a fun watch for sure. I like the idea that a cat come from outer space and had powers that was cool. The cat seem to care about it new friends by the end of the movie more then it cared about getting to go home. I liked the plot, storyline characters and characters development. They were all good. This is a great movie to watch as a family. Super children friendly. There were lots of scientists in this movie from all kinds of backgrounds and differnce science fields. The romance was average.

My twin brother & I are Lions from summer 1974, actually a few days after Nixon's resign.

This Disney features was released in France in February 1979 and so we were 4 1/2 years old when our dear parents decided we were matured enough to assist a real movie in cinema!

Honestly i can't say now what the movie is about because i don't remember the story, the cast or any scenes. I never watched it again since and i think that i will NEVER watch it again because this movie is just expected to be what it is: my first film show and so now, just a few cool and warm memories in my synapses.

So if the movie is like the blank screen for me today, i have however strong moments in my mind: I WAS AFRAID (like the 2nd film show experience we experimented in August 1980 with SW episode V!)

I found my reaction real funny because it's a Disney movie, with a gentle cat for hero and it's about space (so it's not like my parents have picked Alien to go) but nevertheless I WAS SCARED: so the only memory i go from this movie is ASKING to go to the toilets, even if i had no pee urge just because from there, i could escape this scary movie! (this is a great excuse i developed later in school when i wanted to skip swimming lessons!)...

And today i laugh at it because i REALLY love cats & space stories !!

Watched The Cat From Outer Space With Ken Berry(FTroop) as Frank Wilson, also Starring Sandy Duncan(Roots) as Liz Bartlett, Harry Morgan(High Noon) as General Stilton, Ronnie Schell(Emergency!) as Jake The Cat, Roddy McDowell(Planet Of The Apes) as Mr.Stallwood, McLean Stevenson(MASH) as Norman Link, Hans Conried(Gilligans Island) as Chief Dr.Hefffel.

the film was wacky, to say the least, but it was good also The trio of Frank, Liz and Link were likable also it was cool Jake the cat decided to stay on earth the film was simple but in a good way.

Cinematography By Charles F.Wheeler(Silent Running), Musical Score By Lalo Schifrin(Starsky and Hutch) and Direction By Norman Tokar(Rascal) An Alien Invasion Story Featuring A Cat 7/10

When I was 7 and saw this movie I absolutely loved it! So much so, that from that point onwards every time I liked a movie my dad would ask "But was it as good as The Cat from Outer Space?" The answer was always no!

I'm sure I'd find it daft now, so many years later, but it was such a fun little film back in the late 1970s. Happy memories :)

While this isn't the best Disney movie I've ever seen (You would think being made 19 years after Darby O'Gill the graphics would be better, Gill being ahead of it's time for 1959) it's so obviously a silly movie made for kids! While it's true that the special effects and quality of the picture leave something to be desired, you don't really notice until someone points it out. It's an "entertaining" movie with a cast full of familiar faces, plots children can understand, flashing lights, and hi jinx involving a talking cat. To dissect this movie as if it were up for an Oscar is a mistake and setting up what is just supposed to be a fun family film, for failure. Kids do like it and it is entertaining enough that you don't mind watching it with your children.

In regards to the comment "...if this movie is called THE CAT FROM OUTER SPACE then why couldn't they have dubbed the cat with a voice that sounds feline ?" because why would they? it doesn't take away from the plot or the climax or any of the characters if the cat talks in a regular voice, there are actually a few scenes when people overhear him and thinks someone else said something. Bottom line : it's silly, fun, sometimes cheesy and definitely not a movie to watch if you take all of your movie watching too seriously.

Witless antics from the Disney people has title feline landing on Earth, getting unorthodox physicist involved in repairing its spacecraft. The ideas in the script just don't come off; for instance, it turns out the cat can talk, and once it starts it never shuts up! And didn't it occur to anybody that a talking cat from outer space wouldn't sound like us? This four-legged freak sounds like Dick Van Patten! Special effects are kept to a refreshing minimum, but Ken Berry is a poor man's Dean Jones and Sandy Duncan is given nothing to do in support. The action-packed climax is decently staged and filmed, though it's hard to imagine today's kids sticking with it to the end. Unfortunately, this "Cat" is in the doghouse. * from ****

If you cannot enjoy a film where the hero is a gorgeous cat with a magic collar then you probably also hate other fantasy films like the Harry Potter series. You certainly need to chill out and stop watching all those super-serious gritty movies and enjoy some escapist fantasy ones instead.

This remains the one and only film that my wife and I have ever paid hard-earned cash to see more than once at the cinema. It's that good, but only if you are a cat-lover!

It's amazing how well this movie was preserved. Disney+ does a good job of delivering high quality films.