Directed by: Don Bluth, Gary Goldman, Dan Kuenster

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

Synopsis: The Grand Duke of Owls (voiced by Christopher Plummer) wants to plunge the world into eternal darkness by tricking the rooster Chanticleer (voiced by Glen Campbell) into thinking his voice doesn’t actually raise the sun.

Cartoon Cat: The film starts out with live action segments of a family battling to save their farm from an impending and devastating storm. A little boy named Edmund (Tony Granger) gets left behind and calls for Chanticleer to come help them. Instead he is confronted by the Grand Duke who turns him into a kitten (this is when the film becomes completely animated).

Realizing he is naked, Edmund dons a Davy Crockett style outfit from a doll.

The farm animals come to Edmund, who feels useless because he is just a kitten and what can he do to help them? A mouse named Peepers (voiced by Sandy Duncan) points out that she is even smaller than he and can still accomplish things.

Edmund sets off with Peepers, a dog named Patou (voiced by Phil Harris) and a bird named Snipes (voiced by Eddie Deezen) to go to the big city to find Chanticleer.

On the way they have rough sailing and are attacked by the Grand Duke’s minions, but after travelling through a sewer they reach the big city.

Finding Chanticleer proves to be tougher for them than tying Patou’s shoes.

At one point the Grand Duke talks to Edmund on the phone and threatens his friends.

They finally track Chanticleer down to a floor show in a club and after dressing as penguin waiters they don other costumes and go on stage, trying to reach the rooster.

Their attempts to reach Chanticleer fail and the fact that he is falling for a chick named Goldie (Ellen Greene) complicates matters further.

Edmund tries to talk to Goldie but she just screams, having been told that Edmund is a bad kitty out to hurt Chanticleer.

Chanticleer’s manager, Pinky Fox (voiced by Sorrell Booke) is working with the Grand Duke and captures Edmund and the others to keep them from reaching the rooster.

Eventually Goldie realizes that Pinky means no good keeping Chanticleer from his friends and together they manage to escape.

Edmund manages to help drive a car as they try to get away.

Later Edmund overcomes his fears and they finally get away in a helicopter.

Back on the farm Edmund cheers for Chanticleer to get his confidence back and crow. The Grand Duke strangles Edmund until he falls unconsious.

After Chanticleer finally crows and brings up the sun, diminishing the Grand Duke and saving the farm, the animals gather around Edmund’s seemingly lifeless body. But then he is transformed back into a boy and awakens.

Final Mewsings: Anyone who thinks kittens are helpless has never met a kitten!

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