Garfield on the Town

We all know how much Garfield hates going to the vet. So after wrecking Jon's house the fat cat is dragged, kicking and screaming, into the car. But even on the way there Garfield can't sit a peace. Until he falls out of the window and into the busy street.

He quickly learns that freedom from Jon and life on the streets isn't all fun and games. No one is kind to him, he's cold and quickly hungry. So when he dips into a smelly garbage can he's met with hostility from a punk alley cat.

Being house cat and used to home comforts, Garfield cannot match the aggression of this alley cat. More so when a hundred of them (looking more like the Critters from the movie of the same name, than alley cats) come after him.

Garfield takes refuge in an old building which just happens to be Italian Restaurant where he was born. There he meets him mother and the rest of his family. Tho he doesn't belong. And Garfield learns that his real family is Jon and Odie.

It's a very sweet natured story and the ending is cute and touching. There is a good reason why it won an Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program.

'Garfield on the Town' was my favourite Garfield film. I saw it when I was very young, and I always felt very sad when Garfield goes back to the place where he was brought up as a kitten, and he remembers everything about this place (and his mother) and recalls how it used to be and how it has now changed. It's a very emotional scene, and you really do get to see another side to Garfield beyond the funny comments and the laid-back attitude.

I don't think the film had too much more to offer, sadly, than this scene. At least, the rest of it is not very memorable. I first saw this when I was about five-years-old - when it was first on television. I saw it a few years after that, and besides the scene where Garfield visits his old place, I don't think it had much more to offer.

I cannot say whether or not I recommend it. I can just state that I did enjoy it, and it was a very memorable film to me.

One year since "Here comes Garfield".

In "Garfield on the Town", Garfield has wrecked and cause his owner Jon enough trouble, that he decides to take him to the vet for punishment.

On the way Garfield ended up getting out of the car when Jon turn to the next corner. Now Garfield is free to roam the streets as he please.

One night, he decides to get something to eat from the dumpsters, only to find a punk cat who tells him he's invading his territory. Garfield shows him who's boss, but doesn't realize that the cat is part of a Gang of Cats called the Claws. Who soon become Garfield's new enemy.

Garfield makes a run for it, and ends up in an old building, which he meets face to face with another cat, who turns out to be his long lost mother. Garfield was over joy to see his own mom again.

In this TV movie, we learn a little bit of Garfield's family, and the day he was still a kitten. The animation is similar to the previous one and has some good voice acting. Hats down to Lorenzo Music.

With plenty of emotional moments, humor, and songs. This is another must for Garfield fans.

Find the character of Garfield, 'Garfield and Friends' and his specials to be even better now than as a child. Really liked to loved them then, still do and am not saying this out of nostalgia. Have stressed the point a few times of not all my childhood favourites holding up. Have found the humour funnier and cleverer as an adult and have found more things to like and invested emotionally more, the main reasons why the character, 'Garfield and Friends' and his specials still have appeal today.

'Garfield on the Town' is not for me one of the best Garfield specials (all of which worth watching at least once, so that is not in any way a knock). It is still very good and very enjoyable, with it being nice to see a different side to everyone's favourite orange cat and in terms of tone, but misses the extra something of the best ones. Again not a knock, because saying that is only meaning that the best ones are so great with a high standard hard to live up to. Do have a personal preference for the holiday specials as far as Garfield goes, especially 'A Garfield Christmas Special' and 'Garfield in Disguise', both quintessential when it comes to things to watch on Christmas and Halloween and essential Garfield.

Other Garfield specials are funnier when it comes to the humour, approach their subject more imaginatively and perhaps more refined in terms of animation.

That is not saying that the animation is poor, far from it. It is still bright and colourful with some nice detail, just that the drawing and movement have been smoother elsewhere. Cannot fault the music, which is incredibly infectious and hard to forget, complete with clever lyrics. "The Claws" is one of my favourite songs of any of the Garfield specials.

Humour is still playful and classic Garfield, but it is the emotion that sets 'Garfield on the Town' apart from the other specials. On top of being charming and nostalgic, 'Garfield on the Town' has a lot of heart and is likely to evoke tears (the reminiscing has always done with me), with being saccharine or over-sentimental. Garfield is still an immensely likeable character, with a different side to him and some proper character development, and Lorenzo Music was born to voice him and hasn't been equalled or bettered since.

In summation, very enjoyable and heartfelt. 8/10 Bethany Cox

I remember watching this 1983 animated movie back in my childhood, so it was a nice thing to return to watch it again here in 2025.

Writers Jim Davis and Lorenzo Music put together a nice storyline and script with an entertaining and enjoyable narrative.

The voice acting in "Garfield on the Town" is good, and it is good to have the familiar voices of Lorenzo Music and Thom Huge voicing Garfield and Jon respectively. In addition, George Wendt and Allyce Beasley also lends their voices to the animated movie.

Having grown up with reading the "Garfield" comic strips, there is a great sense of familiarity and nostalgia with the art style and animation style seen in this 1983 animated movie.

If you like "Garfield", then this 1983 animated movie is definitely an enjoyable movie to watch.

My rating of director Phil Roman's 1983 animated movie "Garfield on the Town" lands on a six out of ten stars.