Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)

Directed by: Joe Dante, John Landis, George Miller, Steven Spielberg

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

Synopsis: Big screen adaptation of Rod Serling’s iconic anthology series sees four different stories about odd happenings.

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): In the second segment called Kick the Can, residents of a nursing home are living their quiet, somewhat boring lives. One woman named Mrs. Dempsey (Helen Shaw) has a pet ginger tabby cat.

Twilight Zone: The Movie - elderly people in nursing home including Mrs. Dempsey Helen Shaw and orange tabby cat

An elderly man named Mr. Bloom (Scatman Crothers) comes to live with them and fills the residents’ minds with thoughts of play as they did when they were young. As he talks, the cat is sitting with another male resident.

Twilight Zone: The Movie - elderly man sitting with orange tabby cat

Mr. Bloom encourages the residents to sneak out at night to play the game Kick the Can with him in the yard. Mrs. Dempsey brings her cat.

Twilight Zone: The Movie - elderly people outside nursing home including Mrs. Dempsey Helen Shaw and orange tabby cat

The elderly people have fun playing like children again.

Twilight Zone: The Movie - Mrs. Dempsey Helen Shaw and orange tabby cat hiding behind bush
Twilight Zone: The Movie - Mrs. Dempsey Helen Shaw and orange tabby cat coming out from behind bush
Twilight Zone: The Movie - elderly people and Mrs. Dempsey Helen Shaw and orange tabby cat playing

Suddenly, they realize they have become children. And Mrs. Dempsey’s (Laura Mooney) cat has become a kitten!

Twilight Zone: The Movie - young Mrs. Dempsey Laura Mooney and orange tabby kitten

They dance and play and enjoy being young once more.

Twilight Zone: The Movie - young Mrs. Dempsey Laura Mooney and orange tabby kitten dancing with boy

But in the end, they decide they really don’t want to return to childhood.

Twilight Zone: The Movie - young Mrs. Dempsey Laura Mooney and orange tabby kitten with other children and Mooney Scatman Crothers
Twilight Zone: The Movie - young Mrs. Dempsey Laura Mooney and orange tabby kitten

The kids sneak back in the house where one older man spots them.

Twilight Zone: The Movie - young Mrs. Dempsey Laura Mooney and orange tabby kitten inside home with other children

But when he calls for the attendant, they find the residents have grown old again, all except one boy who decides to remain young.

Twilight Zone: The Movie - elderly people and Mrs. Dempsey Helen Shaw and orange tabby cat in room

Cartoon Cats: In the segment called It’s a Good Life, a boy lives in a world he has created and holds people there against their will. He has numerous televisions around the house which constantly play cartoons, mostly Looney Tunes. Both Claude cat and Pussyfoot cartoons are seen playing on the TVs at various times.

Twilight Zone: The Movie - Claude cat cartoon on television set
Twilight Zone: The Movie - Pussyfoot kitten and Marc Antony bulldog cartoon on television set
Twilight Zone: The Movie - Pussyfoot kitten cartoon on television set

Final Mewsings: Cats know how important it is to remain young at heart.

Many thanks to Stevie Holcomb for letting us know about the cats in this film!

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