The Cat from Outer Space

The Cat from Outer Space (1978) is a Disney family sci-fi comedy you can watch online on iFILM. A spaceship crash-lands on Earth and the military hauls it away. The pilot, though, slips loose — and the pilot happens to be a tabby cat named Jake, whose glowing collar lets him talk and bend the laws of physics.

To fix his ship and get home, the cat needs a human partner. He picks Frank Wilson, a put-upon physicist played by Ken Berry. What follows is all chases, bumbling military intelligence, a long-shot bet at the track, and one very smart feline who stays a step ahead of everyone. Sandy Duncan, Harry Morgan and Roddy McDowall round out the cast, the last as a smug rival.

Director Norman Tokar made a string of Disney live-action staples in the 1970s, and this one wears that decade proudly: gentle, goofy, full of practical effects and a real cat doing the heavy lifting on camera. No cynicism here, just old-fashioned charm. A solid pick for a movie night with kids. Stream The Cat from Outer Space (1978) online on iFILM.