Joe's Apartment (1996)

Directed by: John Payson

This review contains a cartoonish Kitty Carnage Warning!

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

Synopsis: Based on a popular short film that aired on MTV, Joe (Jerry O’Connell) moves to New York City and cohabitates with countless cockroaches.

Featured Feline: A couple of the cockroaches are enjoying some spilled beer when the reflection of a tabby cat appears. Somehow the cat has entered Joe’s apartment (not too amazing since holes were blown in many of the walls earlier).

Joe's Apartment - reflection of tabby cat in spilled beer where cockroaches are drinking

Joe's Apartment - ragged tabby cat behind cockroach

Joe's Apartment - ragged tabby cat behind cockroach animated gif

As it turns out the cat is one of the cockroach’s most dreaded natural enemies. Joe is out of it so the cockroaches scramble to get away. Only one roach named Ralphie is caught in a corner by the approaching feline, whose growls sound like a lion’s.

Joe's Apartment - tabby cat licking lips

Joe's Apartment - close up of tabby cat's eyes

Suddenly a large roach with a cowboy hat appears. “It’s Cousin Tiny from Texas!” one roach shouts. Tiny then lassoes the cat’s tail.

Joe's Apartment - tabby cat looking startled

Joe's Apartment - tabby cat looking angry

Kitty Carnage Warning! The cat tears around the apartment with Cousin Tiny on his back, riding him like a rodeo bronco. This is mostly achieved with special effects, fast motion and a pair of fake cat paws in front of the camera. As the cat tears around the apartment with Cousin Tiny on his back, the other roaches sing about a Little Itty-Bitty Kitty Cat Rodeo.

Joe's Apartment - tabby cat running around with cockroach and rope on tail

Joe's Apartment - tabby cat running around with cockroach riding him animated gif

Eventually the cat knocks the fish from the fish bowl into Joe’s mouth which wakes him up. The cat then leaps onto Joe’s face. Joe struggles to pull the clinging (obviously fake) cat off his face. The fake cat’s legs extend while Joe pushes the cat away from him. Finally the fake cat is flung out the window.

Joe's Apartment - fake tabby cat on Joe's Jerry O'Connell face

Joe's Apartment - fake tabby cat jumps on Joe's Jerry O'Connell face animated gif

It’s clear at least two cat actors were used, as in some shots the cat has shorter fur and one ear pressed down while in all other shots the cat is longhaired with a drooping eye but both ears up.