by Angie E.

I apologize in advance for the puns, but I can’t help but hold a very special place in my heart for a movie I first saw in 1978 with my mom and my sister at the Security Square Mall theater…back when Spencer Gifts and the smell of kettle corn were a big thing and the multiplex was not. Unless my memory is completely fooling me, this movie jump-started my deep love of and for cats. 

The Cat From Outer Space is a purrfectly out-of-this-world cinematic experience that will have you feline fine! This intergalactic tail, I mean, tale, stars a su-purr-naturally talented cat from another galaxy, and it’s a claw-some adventure from start to finish. 

From the moment our furry, four-legged friend crash-lands on Earth, you know you’re in for a wild ride. With a collar that’s basically a space-age Swiss Army knife and a penchant for piloting UFOs, our extraterrestrial feline is the cat’s meow of interstellar travelers. The human cast is equally entertaining, with their over-the-top reactions to the incredible abilities of our whiskered visitor. They’re all in on the secret, but they don’t seem to mind. Who can blame them? I mean, if a cat could fix your car and whip up a gourmet meal with the flick of its tail, you’d keep the secret too! 

The special effects might not be up to today’s standards, but that’s part of the charm. It’s like a time capsule from a bygone era of film-making. You’ll marvel at the “cutting-edge” technology and laugh at the adorable alien. You’ll witness one fur-midable showdown between our feline friend and a military general with a penchant for paw-sitively dramatic speeches. It’s an epic showdown that will have you on the edge of your seat, or should I say, scratching post? 

So, if you’re in the mood for a nostalgic, campy, and uproarious adventure that’s as delightful as a basket of kittens and so silly you’ll find yourself embracing it fully, look no further. The Cat From Outer Space is the cat-astrophic, uh, I mean, fantastic film you’ve been waiting for! Grab your popcorn and get ready to be whisker-ed away into a world of cosmic comedy and kitt-tastic capers! 

Angie is an Instructor & Research Specialist at Central Branch and is a co-facilitator for Reads of Acceptance, HCLS’ first LGBTQ-focused book club. Her ideal day is reading in her cozy armchair, with her cat Henry next to her.