KISSology, Volume Two (KISS: 1978 – 1991) with KISS in “Attack Of The
Phantoms” (1979) + KISS – Cat Tales
(MVD/GVM DVD)
Picture:
C+/B-/C Sound: B-/C+/C Extras: B/C/C+ Compilation: B Feature Film: C+
Continuing
their very in depth archival presentation of history through compilation, KISS
is back with a 3-DVD KISSology, Volume Two,
made more interesting by the first-ever widescreen release of their Attack Of The Phantoms feature film
that those in the U.S. have only seen in pan & scan copies in its TV movie
version. This time, the set covers the
period from 1978 all the way to 1991.
What seemed like a decline and end to many did not phase the band, their
label or the KISS Army that has supported them through thick and thin. There is also a related release, KISS – Cat Tales, which offers more
goodies than expected. But first, the KISSology.
The
content this time includes the following, starting with DVD 1:
Land Of Hype & Glory (excerpt)
1/10/78
KISS in “Attack Of The Phantoms”
(1979) feature film
The Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder
(excerpt)
10/31/79
DVD 2:
“Shandi” Music Video
CNN Interview With Peter Criss
9/24/80
Countdown (excerpt)
9/21/80
Rockpop
9/13/80
with “She’s So European” & “Talk To Me” live.
KISS Invades Australia 1980 Documentary
Sydney Snowground - Sydney, Australia
11/22/80
"Detroit Rock City"
"Cold Gin"
“Strutter”
“Shandi”
“Calling Dr. Love”
“Firehouse”
“Talk To Me”
“Is That You?”
“2,000 Man”
“I Was Made For Loving You”
“New York Groove”
“Love Gun”
"God Of Thunder"
(incomplete)
"Rock 'n' Roll All Nite"
"King Of The Nighttime World"
"Black Diamond"
Fridays (ABC’s attempt to have a Saturday Night Live type hit)
1/15/82
"The Oath”, "A World Without Heroes” and "I".
Top Pop (November, 1982)
“I Love It Loud”
DVD 3:
Maracana
Stadium – Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
6/18/83
"Creatures Of The Night"
"Cold Gin"
"Calling Dr. Love"
“Firehouse”
“I Love It Loud”
“War Machine"
"Black Diamond”
"Rock 'n' Roll All Nite"
Cascais
Hall – Lisbon, Portugal
10/11/83
"Creatures Of The Night"
“Detroit Rock City”
The
Spectrum – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
12/18/87
“Love Gun”
“Bang Bang You”
“No No No”
“Crazy Crazy Nights”
“Reason To Live”
The
Palace Of The Auburn Hills – Detroit, Michigan
10/14/90
"I Stole Your Love”
“Deuce”
“Heaven’s On Fire”
“Crazy Crazy Nights”
"Black Diamond”
“Shout It Out Loud”
“Strutter”
"Calling Dr. Love”
“I Was Made For Loving You”
“Fits Like A Glove”
“Hide Your Heart”
“God Of Thunder”
“Forever”
“Cold Gin”
“Tears Are Falling”
“I Love It Loud”
“Detroit Rock City”
“I Want You”
"Rock 'n' Roll All Nite"
Day In Rock 11/25/91
“God Gave Rock N Roll To You” Music Video
It is
amazing how they never let up, always gave their fans and audience nothing but
top effort and never sold out their base, being bad boys on the level of the
best bands, no matter how the industry or popularity of Rock changed or
declined. As a result, they are not just
another band and at this point, more than just some legacy/nostalgia act. That makes this set all the more interesting,
with material many have never seen outside of diehard fans.
As for
the 1979 Attack Of The Phantoms
feature film, it turns out Joseph Barbera and Avco Embassy co-produced the film
and for all the decades it was thought of as a mere cheap TV movie, it was
actually a widescreen, big screen theatrical film production that was released
as such overseas. The anamorphically
enhanced 2.35 X 1 image was shot in some scope format, but as hard as we tried,
could not find out by this posting.
We
suspect it is either Techniscope, Super Scope, a similarly optically printed
scope format they could/would not credit and did not want to discuss by the
time it aired on NBC since they did not want anyone to know it had been
butchered for TV. As well, the contract
was for TV and they likely did not want to mislead fans on any theatrical
release in the states. As silly as the
film can get, it should get credit for throwing in every genre idea in Sci-Fi,
Action, Fantasy and Horror it could dream up to go with their Superhero
personas in Marvel Comics. As well, it
pushed their Mego Action Figures, though sadly, the TV ad for those toys is not
here despite appearing on a previous KISS release.
With that
said, the picture on the feature film looks good, a new transfer done
especially for this set and both fans of the band and of 1970s pop culture will
want to catch this entire set just for this film. A Dolby Digital Stereo upgrade of the film’s
sound is very welcome, annihilating the original mono track included. The rest of the set has KISS commentary, but
three actors from the film (Carmine Caridi, Deborah Ryan and Don Lewis) cover
the actual film. You have to see it at
least once!
Like the
various materials from the previous set, the image quality varies throughout,
from professional analog NTSC videotape to 16mm and 35mm film footage, but all
is 1.33 X 1. The producers have done
their best to make this all look good and they have done a decent job. The regular color TV taped segments are
comparable for the most part to the best DVD collections we have seen of such
material and the filmed footage is especially solid. The sound is here in Dolby Digital 5.1 mixes
better than the 2.0 mixes in mono, stereo and stereo-boosted mono. The 5.1 is just good enough in most cases to
be the preferred choice.
Another
interesting aspect of the set is to see two key members (Peter Criss, Ace
Frehley) and the signature make-up leave, but those members would eventually
return, as shown in another DVD release, KISS
– Cat Tales. Focusing on the reunion
tour, there is an hour of Criss being interviewed, more footage of the band
doing promos and pre-show filming from the 2003 farewell tour. There is even extra footage adding up to a
volume worthy of the KISSology
itself and this is often rough material that may never be seen on home video
otherwise.
Besides
the commentaries already noted, the KISSology
has a nicely illustrated booklet inside its DigiPak foldout, a reproduction
ticket involving the feature film and our set also has a bonus DVD of their 1978
Tokyo concert that was a smash success.
Between the two releases, that will be plenty of KISS until the next the
KISSology.
For more
on the other volumes and the band, try these links:
V.1
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/4816/KISSology,+Volume+One+(KISS+1974
V.3
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/6365/KISSology,+Volume+Three+(KISS:+19
- Nicholas Sheffo
