Die Katze aus dem Weltraum (1978) watch online HD

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.

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-

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).

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 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 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

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).

The Cat From Outer Space was a troubled shoot, with a severe personality clash between it's two stars.

The film involves, as you might guess from the title, a cat. From outer space. Except the cat, "Jake", looks suspiciously like an Earth cat. If this were modern-day Disney then sophisticated CGI would be used to at least make Jake's mouth move. Yet this was 1978 and we had to settle for Jake being "telepathic" and looking in vaguely the right direction.

But while Jake – played by two cats, a boy and a girl – may act on cue, his body language tells a different story. Whenever he/she is picked up by Frank (Ken Berry), Jake's tail flashes furiously, despite the on-screen buddy-buddy nature of their relationship. I don't know what Berry made of Jake, but it's obvious the cat wasn't his biggest fan and didn't like being handled.

I imagine that Hollywood egos came into effect, Jake demanding a bigger trailer. The sex, the drinking, the catnip. Finally, his claim that "I'm worth $20 million a picture" would have sunk his movie star prospects.

Berry went on to appear in Featherstone's Nest, The Golden Girls and The Legend of Forrest Tucker. For Jake (Rumpler/Amber), this amiable, likeable family comedy was the only role in his short-lived career.



FILM'S LASTING INSPIRATION: A scene where Jake the alien cat is in the basket of a (motor)bike ridden by Frank and makes it fly in the air to avoid capture. Mr. Spielberg, were you watching?

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!

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.

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.

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!

I remember loving this movie when I was a young lad. I mean it had a 'Cat from Outer Space'. A guy got beer spit into his face. The main character what's his name (Ken Berry) was your typical Disney Nerd who did all types of wacky things that a kid of around 7 would find funny. He didn't even get hit in the nuts to make kids laugh. If it was remade today that would happen I'm sure. Looking at his movie 30 years later, it is still an amusing and entertaining Disney film, although perhaps not as fun as when I was young, as I have matured as a film viewer. But still there is some magic in this film.

The sci-fi concept is interesting. Cats have developed their brains to the capacity that they can move and manipulate the world around them. Man in his primitive state has to use boring old tools. My roommate laughed as the little kitty walked out of the spaceship. You don't expect a cat to come from a UFO, so that is funny. And there are occasional yucks throughout the picture. What could have been a 5 minute skit on Saturday Night Live was stretched to 98 minutes of wholesome family fun. This won't make the AFI 100 laughs list, but its still a film to watch with a smile.

The film isn't without its problems. Too many people are to willing to believe without any form of skepticism that a cat from another planet needs to fix his spaceship. The big chase scene at the end isn't great but isn't enough to get it mocked on Mystery Science Theater.

But on the plus the film also shows how sometimes to help others out you must sacrifice your own dreams and desires. The sacrifice made by one of the characters in this film is quite profound for a silly little Disney comedy, but raises it above your average Disney comedy. Extra added reasons the film is fun is because of Mash's Harry Morgan, Sandy Duncan and Planet of the Apes actor Roddy McDowell.

This would be worth having in your video library (if you're a person who does that sort of thing) simply because it is family friendly film that you could show your kids without being embarrassed. It's more entertaining then Disney's 'Moon Pilot' and is worth checking out for a care free night of lite comedic sci-fi.

I really can't say why, but this movie's premise just cracks me up. Seeing that cat emerge from the UFO and stroll so gracefully down the plank has the same effect on me now as it had when I saw the movie as a kid – I just start laughing really hard for a good half minute or so. It's not a bad movie, actually, and the humor is deliberate. I think it's even funnier because the spaceship and the alien cat's mission are treated with such seriousness from the get-go, leaving all the goofy humor to the human characters.

Part of what makes it so great of course is just the fact that they picked a cat. With a dog this movie would be in the words of one character, "Dumb. Very dumb." But cats are just that way… no matter where you put then, they pretty much look and act as if they own the place. So you put that cat with his magic collar on a UFO and darned if he doesn't really belong there, which I think is what makes it so bizarre.

It's great how, without computers, they were able to get that cat to react in appropriate ways in scenes with the actors… what I wouldn't give to be a fly on the all (or, a cat on the couch!) in that editing conference. The human actors, even people with loads of talent like Roddy McDowell and Harry Morgan, don't stand a chance of upstaging this feline extraterrestrial. I love how Jake (that's the cat) is more realistic and down to earth than his human scientist buddy, Frank (Ken Berry). Berry doesn't have much screen presence, but would the movie actually be better if it was Steve McQueen? Sandy Duncan on the other hand I thought was very engaging and had a real flair for deadpan humor. She reminds me of other great 60s film comediennes like Goldie Hawn and Debbie Walley.

As a side note, I kind of felt Spielberg's "E.T." borrowed some elements from this film. You have the friendly misunderstood alien, the glowing collar instead of a glowing finger, and even a flying bike! The whole framework of having an alien befriend the humans is old-hat nowadays but actually was pretty unusual before E.T. (you had a few in the 50s… "Day the Earth Stood Still" and "Space People", but not much in the mid/late 60s or early 70s).

One thing that's interesting watching the movie now in the 21st Century is how other than the cat every major character is an adult. You would never see a kids' film these days that doesn't even have children in it. Speaking as one who saw the movie as a child (though not when it was released… probably a decade later when I was 12 or so), I never had a problem with that and it never would have occurred to me at that time. So I think modern family filmmakers are probably guilty of underestimating the imagination of children and their ability to empathize with adult characters.

This film never aimed to be high art, but it's still noticeable how well it does accomplish its limited goals – a tiny dose of sci-fi/fantasy, a good deal of action, and a lot of slapstick and situational humor. The special effects, by the way, are actually pretty good for their time. The digital graphics on the UFO's display screens and the control panel itself are more convincing than the computers you see in stuff like the original Star Trek series or "Logan's Run" which just came out a few years before this film. All of this detail greatly adds to the humor of seeing this domestic animal placed in this environment.

Cats have always been known for their inscrutable stares and associated with divine wisdom. This film has strong charm despite being limited by its own ambition, and maybe even more so in retrospect since nowadays these things are done with effects instead of real animals. I wonder if kids really can connect to a computerized image of a cat in the same way they can relate to a real cat like the ones in their neighborhoods.

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

I had originally written this review for my school's newspaper, so please excuse the quality.

The Cat From Outer Space is a somewhat obscure Disney movie released in 1978 starring Ken Berry (Mayberry R.F.D.), Sandy Duncan, Roddy McDowell (Planet of the Apes), Ronnie Schell (Gomer Pyle) and McLean Stevenson (M*A*S*H).

The plot revolves around a cat-like alien named Jake (voiced by Schell) who crash-lands on Earth and must recover his spacecraft from the government with the help of Frank (Berry) and Liz (Duncan), scientists working at the army base holding the UFO. Along the way, there's the typical love-plot between Frank and Liz, a bumbling spy trying to steal a spaceship and an incident in which the scientists must win a game of pool to buy enough gold to fuel Jake's ride home.

Like most live-action Disney movies before and during this time, The Cat From Outer Space is relatively benign – after all, it is a Disney movie, but with all fairness, the idea is certainly unique; the characters aren't terrible (though certainly archetypal), and there's plenty of moments worth the raising of at least one eyebrow.

Probably the best part of the movie is Jake himself, who, despite just being a cat who probably had no idea what he was doing, manages to be the best character in the movie; not being from this planet and all, he communicates with the cast with a specialized collar that grants him psychic powers, telepathy (which explains how he can talk to humans), and whenever the powers that be demand it, the ability to place people and animals in suspended animation for several minutes.

Although a rather uncommon entry in the Disney canon, The Cat from Outer Space shouldn't be overlooked. If you're a fan of old live-action Disney movies, go ahead and pick it up wherever you can find it, be it in a physical or digital format.

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 ****

I remember seeing this movie as a kid back in 1978. I thought it was a pretty fun film. As an adult, I picked this movie up on DVD for nostalgia, and I'm pleased to say that it holds up very well. This is a movie I would be happy to show my guitar player's kid. It is a nice family film with just the right amount of action and humor to keep it friendly. Another reason this movie resonates with me is because of its cast, at least four of whom starred, or guest starred in my all-time favorite TV series, M*A*S*H. The late McClean Stevenson (LCol. Henry Blake), and Harry Morgan (Col. Sherman T. Potter) , the commanders of the 4077th. It was nice to see them on screen together in this film. Sorrell Booke (uncredited) as the judge, and Rick Hurst as Dydee One. (The two would also star in later seasons of Dukes of Hazzard.) You cannot go wrong with a family film like this..especially if your young ones have an affinity for light science fiction, and a love of cats. And Jake is a beautiful little cat. Pick this one up to add to your family film collection.

Aside from a considerable cast of well-known actors, this Walt Disney film has little to recommend it. "The Cat from Outer Space" moves at a turtle's pace and comes across quite flat. Normally, the Disney studios put out good fare for adults as well as children. But this film isn't likely to entertain either group today any more than it did when it was released in 1978. I couldn't find box office figures for it, but it wasn't in the list of the top 42 films for 1978. The lack of any industry hoopla about a movie after its release usually means it didn't fare too well. When movies are hits, we hear or read about their box office successes, etc.

In science fiction, anything imaginable goes. It can be outlandishly silly, weird, strange, or unbelievable. No matter how far out, it can be entertaining if it is amusing, interesting, or otherwise able hold one's attention. But this film just doesn't make the grade. The idea for the plot is fine, and Disney assembled a tremendous cast of movie and TV personalities of the day who could make this a very funny film. But the script is terrible. Where are the clever and witty lines for McLean Stevenson, Harry Morgan, Roddy McDowell and the others?

Then, there's the cat, Jake, who communicates with humans by thought waves. But, only when his magic collar is around his neck. Frank and the other humans hear him audibly, and talk to him audibly - not by thought waves. I think that creates an anomaly that turns off the audience, The people talking with a voice from nowhere while Jake sits looking like a cat is a disconnect. It struck me as something like a voice from off stage. Some reviewers don't like the fictional films in which animals seem to be talking by some movement of their mouths. But I think that's what helps hold most viewers. Look at the record of films and TV shows to date.

The more recent live action animal movies that were huge successes had animals that appeared to talk. "Babe" of 1995, "Racing Stripes" of 2005 and "Charlotte's Web" of 2006 were all huge box office hits. And, way before "The Cat" in 1978, movies and TV series that had animals that appeared to be talking were big hits.

In 1950, the movie, "Francis," launched a series of films about a talking mule. It was one of the top box office films for that year, and the succeeding six sequels were box office successes. In 1961, a hit TV series was launched with a talking horse. "Mr. Ed" ran for six years on CBS. These were family comedies. The humor was written for adults as well as children, and the kids loved the antics of the talking animals and their human co-stars. And, here's the real test - many people still find those shows funny well into the 21st century.

Enough said about that. This film doesn't have the adult comedy, and very little comedy otherwise. The method used for the alien cat "talking" with people just doesn't work. So, the slowness of the plot soon wears thin and one loses interest. I stayed with it just to see if it might appeal to my grandkids. Children soon lose interest as well.

The Cat From Outer Space was one of my favourite children's' programs at one time in my life. I watched it over and over again. I don't really know what I found so great about the film. Maybe it was because of the action, the humor, and the fact that a cat was a star of the film...and this was no ordinary cat! This was a special cat that had special abilities. And this film is a typical 1970s Disney film.

Although I enjoyed the film as I child, I find it a little bit too slow and dated now. And, it is a film for children. I don't think there is anything for adults unless you really like cats and like science fiction. Overall, it is not a bad film. It's just a little silly, and I would not readily recommend it over other films.

2004 has been a really awful year for Disney movies and I will not add insult to injury by reeling out a list of mega turkeys they`ve released in the past 12 months . If it`s any consolation to the studio at least their recent flops have had high production values unlike this 1978 offering

The story itself is fair though somewhat silly but what really brings the movie down are the simply irredemable production values . First up is the picture quality which instantly reminded me of an old 70s cop show that had been lying in a TV archive for too long . You know those old repeats of STARSKY AND HUTCH and KOJAK that turn up on cable late at night ? well that`s how the picture quality looks like on this movie . Secondly I lost count ( or rather I stopped counting after 300 ) of the number of times that the action cuts away from a location long shot to an actor standing in front of some laughably obvious back projection . I say " laughably obvious " but that gives the impression there`s something amusing about it when there`s not . Finally 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 ? I know the cat is called Jake but couldn`t the producers have changed its name to something female and got Eartha Kitt to do the voice ?

All in all very grim stuff from the studio that brought us MARY POPPINS and 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA

Disney's 'The Cat From Outer Space,' released in 1978 and starring Ken Berry and McLean Stevenson as two military engineers who help an alien named Jake, who just happens to be a cat!

The chaos of comedy ensues as Jake is on the run from being caught by the military commander, Harry Morgan, and from being stuck on Earth. Jake must fix his own spaceship in order to leave Earth and return to his mother-ship. For that to happen though, he needs Gold! $120,000 worth of gold, that is. How does he get the money?

Jesse White of Maytag repair fame, co-stars as a loan shark who makes a bet with Frank (Ken Berry) and Link (Stevenson) for the money. Meanwhile, the woman that Frank is in love with (Sandy Duncan) is interfering with the objective. In the end, Jake the cat gets what he wants. After all, it is a Disney film, what else could happen?

I enjoyed most of the story in this movie - I am a big fan of both Disney live action and also science fiction so the spaceship angle intrigued me, as did the magical powers the cat possesses. I didn't like some of the uses they were put to especially what they do to get money. However certain plot elements like how different characters react to learning the cat's true nature and what means it uses to persuade some, I did enjoy that. I give it a 6 just because of those couple of things I question, otherwise it would be higher.