Jennifer (1978)

by Linda Kay

Directed by: Brice Mack

This review contains a severe Kitty Carnage Warning!

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: Jennifer (Lisa Pelikan), the poor daughter of a pet shop owner (Jeff Corey), wins a scholarship to a prestigious school where several of the girls make her life miserable. But Jennifer knows of a secret power which just may come in handy when the bullying gets out of hand.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealers): The pet shop includes several animals, including rabbits, snakes (which will eventually be pivotal to the plot), birds and tabby kittens. Jennifer echoes her father when she warns the kittens to get all A’s on their test at school.

Jennifer - brown tabby kitten behind mesh of cage
Jennifer - brown tabby kitten behind mesh of cage

Jennifer grows fond of one tabby kitten in particular who is a bit sickly and needs to be cared for specially.

Jennifer - Lisa Pelikan holding brown tabby kitten in pet shop

Her father is an unreasonable puritan, so she talks to the kitten for companionship.

Jennifer - Lisa Pelikan holding brown tabby kitten in pet shop
Jennifer - Lisa Pelikan holding brown tabby kitten in pet shop as father Jeff Corey enters behind

Jennifer is warned repeatedly by her strict father that she shouldn’t get attached to the kitten because it is the best of the litter and they need the money.

Jennifer - Lisa Pelikan holding brown tabby kitten with father Jeff Corey

When she doesn’t listen, he takes the kitten away from her.

Jennifer - Lisa Pelikan having brown tabby kitten taken away from her by father Jeff Corey
Jennifer - Lisa Pelikan having brown tabby kitten taken away from her by father Jeff Corey animated gif

Jennifer must continue to hide the kitten in her room because the adorable furball is there when she comes home crying after a particularly horrifying incident at school.

Jennifer - Lisa Pelikan crying while holding brown tabby kitten
Jennifer - Lisa Pelikan crying while holding brown tabby kitten
Jennifer - Lisa Pelikan crying while picking up and holding brown tabby kitten animated gif

One day Jennifer finds the tabby kitten is gone and her father explains that he sold him to a “friend” of hers from school. It’s possible the two other kittens still in the pen feel slighted.

Jennifer - Lisa Pelikan crying looking into cage with two tabby kittens

Severe Kitty Carnage Warning! Jennifer reaches the limits of her tolerance when she opens her locker at school to find the kitten dead and hanging inside. Even worse, Sandra (Amy Johnston), the main girl who is tormenting Jennifer and who bought the kitten in the first place, claims that Jennifer killed her kitten. In the final showdown, the school gang (who somehow believe Sandra’s story) kidnap Jennifer and say they are going to show her what they do to a cat killer, circling her while meowing. But Jennifer still has some tricks up her sleeve!

Final Mewsings: Anyone who kills a kitten then blames it on the kitten’s owner deserves a special place in Hell.

Many thanks to Omega and Mark Murton for letting us know about the cats in this film.

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