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Carmine Caridi, Peter Criss, Ace Frehley, John Dennis Johnston, Kiss ... see more see more... , Lisa Jane Persky , Deborah Ryan , Gene Simmons , Terry Webster , Anthony Zerbe , Paul Stanley

This made-for-television film, an unusual collaboration between hard rock group Kiss and children's television kings Hanna Barbera, became one of NBC's highest-rated programs of 1978. The plot, remini... read more read more...scent of the average episode of Scooby-Doo, begins with crazed inventor Abner Devereaux (Anthony Zerbe) getting fired from his job at California's Magic Mountain amusement park for ignoring safety standards in his quest to create bigger and better attractions. Devereaux retreats to his underground lab and plots a revenge scenario that coincides with the arrival of rock group Kiss (playing themselves) to perform a concert at the park. Using his knowledge of animatronics, Devereaux creates android duplicates of Kiss and uses them to create havoc. However, he soon discovers he's in for a fight because the group has secret talisman amulets that give them special powers. Thus, the stage is set for a superhero-style showdown between Kiss and Devereaux's squad of animatronic henchmen. Although it is a live-action effort, Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park is cartoonish in the extreme as it dishes out plenty of bad jokes and low-budget special effects. It was a considerable ratings success, but also unfortunately branded Kiss with a "kiddie group" image that took years to shake. As a result, the members of the group consider Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park an embarrassment. Nevertheless, it remains a cult favorite with the group's fans and aficionados of odd television. ~ Donald Guarisco, Rovi

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59% liked it

6,394 ratings

G, 1 hr. 36 min.

Directed by: Gordon Hessler

Release Date: January 1, 1978

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DVD Release Date: October 25, 2005

Stats: 489 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (489)

  • cancercapricorn2002
    April 29, 2010
    cancercapricorn2002
    If there was ever a movie that defined guilty pleasure it would be this one. The plot here is a amusement park has invited KISS for a series of concerts. However, the mastermind behind creating the park is a loopy guy (Anthony Zerbe--who made a career out of playing evil and slim... read morey villains) and he hates KISS--though you are never exactly sure why. But, because Zerbe does not control the park, he is forced to spend most of his time living underneath the park--perfecting his weird audio-animatronic creations (similar to Disney's but even more evil). But, when Zerbe is fired, he vows revenge and unleashes his army of robot zombies!! Egad! Can anyone help? Is there any hope? Well, sure...as it turns out that KISS is actually made up of superheroes who make the X-Men look like losers. The Star Child (Paul Stanley) can shoot lasers out of his eyes and sing well. The Demon (Gene Simmons) can growl like a lion, shoot fire out of his mouth and sing...not so well (but he makes up for it by singing loudly). The Space Ace (Ace Frehley) can appear and disappear at will (sort of like his career with KISS, actually). And, the Cat...is a guy painted like a cat. So how do they have all these cool powers (that look really cheesy on film, by the way) They have a case with magic talismans which enable them to live many lives, play great tunes (sometimes) and shoot things out of their bodies (I'll say no more).

    So, Zerbe can't get himself a decent hairdo, but he is able to figure out that his next step is to steal these talismans. Unfortunately, they (like most talismans) are protected by a force field and his robot-zombie can't get them--that is until Zerbe creates a cool ray gun which renders the force field inert (by the way, how did he test this to know that it would work?!). In addition, he has created four exact replicas who will take KISS' place after they are kidnapped. Step one (get the talismans) and step two (kidnap KISS) work out great, but considering that Zerbe did not appear to have a step three it's not surprising that it all fell apart at the end. You'd think step three would be global domination or at least getting some hot chicks, but you never hear or see anything that would indicate there is any plan other than to replace KISS with robots (and, judging by this movie, this might have already been done by some other mad scientist before filming began) What can I say but not only is this movie a guilty pleasure but its so bad its good. To sum up here, its fun for Kiss fans and fans of bad cinema
  • YosemiteSamFan
    July 10, 2007
    YosemiteSamFan
    The opening scenes with giant KISS members playing behind the amusement park rides was superb. I remember this being an awesome superhero movie with KISS members having great adventures. When I rewatched as an adult it was lacking in enough fun. It sounds like great campy fun, bu... read moret KISS is not in enough scenes, damnit! When they do appear, it's awesome beyond belief. Their dialogue is beautiful to the ears. I also remember KISS appearing on a Donnie and Marie Halloween Special.
  • jbhatlady
    July 15, 2011
    jbhatlady
    Funny, odd, low budget -watch again movie. Total nonsence, but I liked the goofy, no logic, fun story. Good for a laugh or two.
  • ericgolden1995
    March 10, 2010
    ericgolden1995
    now it's boring when kiss is not on screen when they are on screen it's good but the story is solid just boring with out kiss on screen and being a hard core kiss fan this alsome
  • cowqueenus
    March 9, 2010
    cowqueenus
    This is just a Must have for any KISS Fan. Plus it makes you laugh your butt off cuz it is so rediculous!
  • codymarmon1
    December 12, 2007
    codymarmon1
    I think I was like nine when I first saw this, and it was the coolest thing I ever saw, because Kiss looked like invading aliens that had raped Sesame Street or something!!! I had seen this not long after the Paul Lynde Halloween special which was the first time I had ever seen K... read moreiss, and I thought it was all some whacked-out monster matinee with rock music, all they did was set it to Halloween, and that's why I had a great time watching it. But, now, after all these years and major growing up done on my part, "Phantom of the Park" just seems like another attempt at sci-fi cheesiness that really succeeds. And if you've watched the sci-fi channel lately, then you know what I'm talking about. I couldn't even watch this movie with a straight face these days, which is why I dropped my copy of the movie in a Goodwill bin at night. That's all I have to say about that.
  • filmguy55
    September 4, 2007
    filmguy55
    Bad acting, cheesy special effects. no ledgable screenplay, and overacting by creepy Anthony Zerbe. A tv movie gone bad. But Kiss is the star so all is good lol.
  • DarthBetty
    August 11, 2007
    DarthBetty
    Never watch this movie. I couldn't even laugh at it's cheesyness, because I was too bored. There were a couple of funny parts, but only parts that wern't supposed to be funny like Gene Simmons shooting up into the sky. I laughed my butt off at that and rewinded it a couple of tim... read morees.
    So..bad...I can't stand the badness.
  • elliottness3
    July 19, 2007
    elliottness3
    One of my all-time favorite Hard Rock Groups, rocks the house down at Six Flags Magic Mountain..........
  • NWP
    June 14, 2007
    NWP
    This doesn't age well at all. My memory of staying up and watching it was better than actually watching it again as an adult. Harmless and nostolgic, but be careful...it's longer than it looks. All that being said, I own two copies of it. KISS Army forever!

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  • what was the name of the movie that the rock band Kiss starred in as themselves in 1978  Answer »
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