KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park is a 1978 TV film about a rock band made up of superheroes who battle an evil inventor with plans for destruction at a California amusement park.
The movie was directed by Gordon Hessler (The Oblong Box, Cry of the Banshee, Scream and Scream Again) from a screenplay by Jan Michael Sherman and Don Buday. Also known as KISS in the Attack of the Phantoms
The film was aired by NBC at the height of the band’s popularity in the United States. However, poor acting and a semi-comedic script caused it to be regarded poorly even by most KISS fans. Despite or perhaps because of this, it has attained a degree of kitschy cult status. The film is hated by the band members themselves for the buffoonish way it made them appear. For years after its airing, no one who worked for the group was permitted to mention the film in their presence.
Filming for KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park began in May 1978, and it was produced by Hanna-Barbera (better known as the animation studio behind Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?, Most of the movie was filmed at Magic Mountain in California, with additional filming taking place in the Hollywood Hills. Much of the production was rushed, and the script underwent numerous rewrites. All four members of KISS were given crash courses on acting.
Before completing the script, screenwriters Jan Michael Sherman and Don Buday spent time with each KISS member, to get a feel for how they each acted and spoke. Ace Frehley, known for his eccentric behaviour, said little to the pair but “Ack!” As a result, Frehley was not originally given any lines, except to interject “Ack!” at various points. In the first draft of the script, Frehley was described as “monosyllabic and super-friendly. Communicating largely through gestures and sounds, Ace might be best described as an other-galactic Harpo Marx. Upon learning of his lack of dialogue, Frehley threatened to leave the project — soon after, lines were written for him.