Cat from Outer Space, The
Entry updated 6 February 2023. Tagged: Film.
US film (1978). Walt Disney Productions (see The Walt Disney Company), Buena Vista Distribution. Directed by Norman Tokar. Written by Ted Key. Cast includes Ken Berry, Sandy Duncan, Roddy McDowall, Harry Morgan, William Prince and Ronnie Schell. 104 minutes. Colour.
Minor, light-hearted comedy in which a Cat (voiced by Schell) who is a spacefaring Alien crashes in the USA and needs $120,000 dollars' worth of gold to repair his Spaceship, now in the custody of the US government with its Power Source under investigation at the Energy Research Station. With the aid of a high-tech collar that amplifies powers of Telekinesis and Telepathy, the cat explains his situation to and enlists the aid of a Scientist (Berry) who has nicknamed him Jake; a fellow-scientist (Duncan) and her ordinary cat also become involved. Money to buy gold is raised by manipulating Games and Sports (horse races, football, pool) via Psi Powers, with the expected complications and setbacks en route; further difficulties are introduced by an industrial spy (McDowall) working for a crime boss (Prince), and by the interest of the US military. Ultimately the lead characters survive a succession of caper-comedy shenanigans and Jake remains on Earth as a naturalized US citizen. The novelization is The Cat from Outer Space (1978) by the screenplay writer Ted Key. [DRL]
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