More than perhaps any band, the New York City-born rock band KISS is a product as much as it is a musical project. With lunchboxes, action figures and nearly every other bit of merchandise under the sun available to rabid fans, the group knows how to bring its hits and its signature face-painted look to market. (See the recent avatar news.)
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And part of that illustrious history and entrepreneurship are the many movies and concert films that KISS has produced over the years. Want to know more? Want to know which are the best to check out? Well, we’ve got you covered. Here below are three movies every KISS fan should see.
[Get Peter Criss, Ace Frehley, Gene Simmons, and Paul Stanley — Kiss 4 Vinyl LP Album Bundling Here]
Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park (1988)
This 1988 live-action movie brings together the iconic rock band with one of the legendary producers of kids shows and animation, Hanna-Barbera. But what is at stake? Well, the members of KISS must take down an inventor who makes an evil robotic Gene Simmons and save a California theme park from demise. Originally aired on NBC, the movie has since gone on to enjoy something of a cult following from the band’s many rabid fans, though some members of the band have decried the film for making them look a bit clownish and, strangely, no one working with the group was allowed to bring up the film in conversation around the band. But that doesn’t stop us from watching it today. Check out a trailer for the movie, which stars Ace Frehley, Simmons, Paul Stanley and Peter Criss, here below.
Scooby-Doo! And Kiss: Rock and Roll Mystery (2015)
In this 2015 animated movie, KISS and Hanna-Barbera reunite for another adventure at a theme park to catch an evil witch. Of course, Scooby-Doo is known for its mystery-solving gang—ZOINKS!—and its fun along the way. This one is enjoyable for the whole family, including youngsters who might not know just who KISS is … yet. Check out a trailer here below.
Animalize Live Uncensored (1985)
Let’s mix in a bit of live music, shall we? This 1985 concert film was recorded the year before in Detroit, one of the supreme spots for rock and roll in the United States, and was originally seen on MTV. As for the concert itself, it includes songs from the band’s Animalize album and it opens with, of course, “Detroit Rock City.” Other hits include “I Love It Loud” and “Rock and Roll All Nite.” Check the entire concert here below (sans makeup).
Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images
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