FeistyUpper If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

BallWubba Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

Derrick Gibbons An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Isbel A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

SimonJack 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.

spappalardo328 I love the Cat From Outer Space and did you realize that Jake the cat took Ken Berry's motorcycle over a fence 4 years before ET flew bikes over the forest. Mr. Spielberg, did you see this movie. I would like to see Disney remake this movie with Tim Allen in the Ken Berry role and a sphynx cat in the title roll or even a Devon Rex, they kind of look like ET. Ken Berry can have a cameo as the cat vet as did Alan Young in the original, but he can have an abyssinian as a pet whose name is Jake. The voice for the feline e.t. could be Zachary Ty Bryan, Tim's oldest son from Home Improvement and the voice from the mother ship could be that of Patricia Richardson.I love any movies featuring cats and I would love to see more made. I have fond memories of The Cat From Outer Space, I especially loved the collar idea and Ronnie Schell who provided the voice for him. Remember Ronnie Schell as Duke from Gomer Pyle, shazam! Ronnie was even in the movie but another actor dubbed his voice because he was the voice of Jake. There have been a good deal of feline actors in the movies, starting with a cat named Pepper during the silent era to the cat Neopoleon in the movie Mrs. Miniver, Rhubarb(Orangey)a cat who appeared in many films and even t.v. shows, the great Morris, Tonto, Tao, whom was also the original That Darn Cat, Sassy, and more that I can't think of now. Well, that's it for now.

pgb2998 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.

joshuasgirl 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.