You Wanted The Best! You've Got The Best! KISS Tonight at Waiting Room!

Well, not exactly. As part of its continuing series of "Rock Movie Nights," the Waiting Room (6212 Maple, Omaha) will be playing the 70s cult classic, KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park. There is no cover charge, so there is no excuse to miss this. Here is a little description of the movie I wrote for the Waiting Room's website:

In 1978 KISS was the biggest band in the world. Their commercial heights and cultural impact had only been witnessed twice before, with Elvis and The Beatles. As with both Elvis and The Beatles, KISS seemed larger than life – beyond just being a band. They were a phenomenon. After the success of their 1977 Marvel Comic where the band members were portrayed as superheroes, KISS’ manager convinced the band that movies were the best way to go to continue to advance their career. Producers Hannah-Barbera (best known for cartoons like Scooby Doo) were tasked with writing and producing a KISS movie to be premiered on national television on Halloween 1978. The band was told the film would be a “cross between Hard Days Night and Star Wars,” but it was a far cry from either one. It was titled “KISS Meets The Phantom of the Park.”

Sounds like an Academy Award winning film, right? Actually, it is considered to be so bad that it ranks up there with “Plan 9 From Outer Space” as the worst film that you have to see in order to believe. The members of KISS themselves refused to talk about the film for years because of how poorly it turned out. In 1978, the film was the highest rated TV movie ever, and continues to be an international sensation despite its less than stellar acting and plot. KISS concert footage and music is interspersed throughout the film, and it has become something of a cult classic. For this showing, we will be playing the European theatrical cut of the film which was called “KISS – Attack of the Phantoms.” Enjoy.