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Great British 60's Sci-Fi
Little-known but enjoyable late '60s sci-fi
Better Than 2001: A Space Odyssey
JOURNEY TO THE FAST SIDE OF THE SUN
Doppelgänger

Journey to the Far Side of the Sun
Starring: Roy Thinnes , Ian Hendry , Patrick Wymark , Lynn Loring , and Loni von Friedl
Director: Robert Parrish
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305081158
Release Date: 1998-08-12

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There's a sense of awe to the special effects work of animation specialists Gerry and Sylvia Anderson (Thunderbirds Are Go)--the slow, lovingly detailed introduction of a massive spaceship creeping out of dock and struggling against its bulk while trapped on the ground, and the almost balletic spectacle of the ship elegantly floating against an impressive star field or dramatically flying against the rugged landscape. These moments are the highlights of this sober science fiction thriller about the discovery of a planet on the far side of the sun in Earth's orbit. A mission is hastily put together, with British astrophysicist Ian Hendry teamed with hotshot American astronaut Roy Thinnes for the three-week trip, but when they suddenly crash-land the strange creatures that surround them are revealed to be human. Against all rational explanations they're back on Earth, but Thinnes suddenly discovers that everything is a mirror image of his existence: Through the Looking Glass by way of The Twilight Zone. Though it begins as a paranoid spy thriller set in the near future (the opening details an ingenious espionage caper featuring a very special eyepiece), it quickly turns into a serious and oddly unsettling space-race drama with a heady twist. Robert Parrish's direction is unusually aloof, but the film is always intriguing and well acted with gorgeous special effects that may rank second only to Stanley Kubrick's 2001 as the most elegant vision of outer space flight on film. --Sean Axmaker

Description

When scientists a hundred years into the future discover a "duplicate" Earth on the other side of the sun, the stage is set for tense science fiction adventure and suspense. Determined to find out what this new world is like, the Western nations of Earth set up an expedition headed by former astronauts Roy Thinnes and Ian Hendry to reach the new planet. All goes according to plan until the spaceship makes a crash landing on a planet somethree weeks earlier than expected. Have the space travelers actually returned to Earth or are they on some strange mirror-imageworld where they must prove who they really are or die trying? This imaginative space adventure offers a journey few will ever forget.

Customer Reviews:

Great British 60's Sci-Fi.......2006-09-29

I saw this movie in the theater so long ago. And I always remembered the cool exploding models. A lot of the stuff in this movie was used later in the UFO TV series (also great British Sci-Fi from the same producers).

This is their version of a Twilight Zone episode. I'd give this movie 5 stars if Rod Serling had scripted it.

Little-known but enjoyable late '60s sci-fi.......2006-08-28

"Doppelganger" a/k/a "Journey to the Far Side of the Sun" was the Andersons' first live-action production. It's an atmospheric, moody, well-produced piece of science fiction, unusual for its day in that despite the (relatively) high production values and excellent special effects, it focused on feelings of alienation and isolation rather than on action. It has a rather leisurely pace, especially compared to films which cater to the attention-span-deprived audiences of today, but I didn't find it slow or boring at all (with the exception of a spaceship sequence which lasts three minutes but feels like an eternity).

Fans of the Anderson's live-action series "UFO" (whose production immediately followed this film) would get a real kick out of "Doppelganger." There are plot similarities (the head of a multinational space agency has to struggle to get his missions funded), and 11 of the actors went on to appear in "UFO," including series leads Ed Bishop and George Sewell. Interestingly, many of these actors fill roughly the same function in "Doppelganger" as they do in "UFO," including Sewell as an operative who gets a lot of the dirty work done, Vladek Sheybal as a somewhat sinister doctor who works for the space agency, Keith Alexander as a communications operative/announcer, and, amusingly, Norma Ronald as the agency head's receptionist/secretary (she played exactly the same part as Miss Ealand in "UFO"). Also making their first appearance in "Doppelganger" are "UFO"'s life-size futuristic cars and jeeps (they were given a new coat of paint for "UFO," but I must say they look better in "Doppelganger").

The plot is fairly simple. In the near future (I don't recall if the year is specifically stated), Jason Webb (Patrick Wymark), the agency head, is proposing a mission be sent to investigate a newly-discovered planet which matches Earth's orbit but exactly opposite the Earth, on the other side of the sun. After initial resistance from the member countries, and the discovery of a spy, Webb is able to convince the American representative (played by Bishop) to kick in a billion dollars, which gets the ball rolling so that the other countries eventually accede. The rocket is launched with two astronauts aboard -- the agency's British chief scientist John Kane (Ian Hendry), and an American astronaut, Glenn Ross (Roy Thinnes, fresh from his success as the lead in the U.S. series "The Invaders"). The astronauts crash-land on the planet, and then the plot thickens...

It takes about half the film to get that far. Much time is spent showing the skullduggery involving the spy, the preparations of the astronauts for launch, the launch itself, and the crash landing, but there's plenty to keep the viewer interested. There are several small touches which add depth to the film and help to create a believable world. Webb is the same kind of driven, borderline-obsessed leader that Bishop plays in "UFO." Ross is a rather stereotypical macho U.S. Air Force kind of guy, but his wife (played by Thinnes' real-life wife) is an unpleasant character who is rather cruelly manipulating him. Some reviewers here have criticized the film by saying it's very Twilight-Zone-like. It's a bit of a superficial, easy-to-make criticism, but in some ways it *is* rather Twilight-Zone-like in the way the plot unfolds and in its distinctly uneasy, shadowy, sometimes downright creepy tone. After a surprise twist is introduced following the crash-landing, the film seems to take a sharp left turn, and progresses to an even more surprising, completely unexpected ending.

I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the screenplay (by the Andersons, with help from Donald James). It seemed to me a step above the Andersons' TV shows, even the ones (like "UFO" and "Space: 1999") that were specifically geared for adults. Every line of dialogue had a specific purpose and helped either to drive the plot forward or to establish the mood, often accomplishing both simultaneously. My only real complaint about the script is that I think the Andersons were a bit too taken with both "2001" (which had premiered the previous year) and the Bond films. The business towards the beginning with the spy (played by famed character actor Herbert Lom) played out in a very Bond-like fashion, and the seemingly endless spaceship sequence alluded to above is reminiscent of "2001," but without Kubrick's filmmaking genius to keep the viewer interested.

Much as I enjoyed the plot and the dialogue, I have to admit that my primary pleasure in watching the film was from the production values. While the Andersons were reportedly unhappy with Robert Parrish's direction, I thought it was a well-directed film. There's a lot of very stylish camera movement, and the camera work dovetails nicely with the extremely satisfying sets. The sets of "UFO" and even of "Space: 1999" can feel somewhat cramped (although this is logical given where the shows take place), but in "Doppelganger" the added resources allowed for vast, expansive sets which really helped create a believable future world. The camera glides around and caresses the sets and actors in a very effective way. There's also very good use of fast cutting to increase the tension in certain scenes. The film is so well-made that I was able to watch it twice, hardly ever losing interest. I particularly liked the opening credit sequence (I assume Parrish was responsible for it) which shows computer tapes and punch cards, ironically juxtaposed with Barry Gray's soaringly emotional music. Parrish was an Academy-Award-winning film editor, and I don't understand why he didn't have more success as a director. He only directed three other films after this one.

As with the Anderson's TV shows, the model work is absolutely brilliant. The models are so well-done and well-shot, they give the illusion of great mass, even when you know it's just a model. During the rocket launch there are several shots of the rocket on the launchpad which are are astoundingly realistic. I simply am in awe of the care and attention that the model-makers must have put into their work. Once in space, the shots which include the visibly-spinning Earth are simply stunning, with the atmosphere visible as a soft white glow surrounding the planet. Then we come to the unfortunate sequence where the astronauts leave their command module and transfer to the on-board landing vehicle. I timed the sequence and it was three minutes, perhaps not that long after all, but the film just grinds to a halt.

The best effects sequence is the crash landing of the landing vehicle. It's very impressive, in fact it's quite hair-raising. It looks as one might imagine an actual crash landing would look, with point-of-view shots showing the rocky landscape zooming by and the ground coming alarmingly closer. I don't think any subsequent film's crash-landing sequence has surpassed this one. The actual crash and subsequent explosions are also impressive. And there then follows possibly the eeriest moment in the whole film, when Ross sees a round light like a spotlight hovering above the crashed lander. We have no idea what kind of life, if any, is on this planet, and out of the night and the mist and the smoke from the crashed lander, a spotlight shines through... it gave me goosebumps!

Another common criticism for this film is that the acting is wooden. Again, this is a criticism often made of the Andersons' live action productions and sometimes I think people say it just because they've heard other people say it, and it sounds clever given the Andersons' previous marionette shows. I thought the acting on the whole was excellent, particularly Patrick Wymark as agency head Webb. An intense actor, I do believe that while not as handsome as Ed Bishop, he could easily have played Straker in "UFO." I was surprised to discover that he was only 42 when the film was shot (he looks much older). His career really seemed to be taking off at that time, he shot several films in the 1968-70 period, but sadly he died in 1970.

It's interesting how different some of the actors look between their appearances in "Doppelganger" and "UFO." Ed Bishop looks handsome but not exceptionally so in "Doppelganger," but I think it was ingenious of Sylvia Anderson to put him in the blond mod wig for "UFO," because it makes him look quite striking. And George Sewell, who is a stocky and friendly presence in "UFO," looks almost sepulchral in "Doppelganger," with his hair darker and slicked back. Ian Hendry as Kane did a good job. I liked Thinnes but I wish he had been given a bit more to do, perhaps some more interaction with his wife. His character is a bit blank and cold, we never really know much about him.

And of course no review would be complete without mentioning Barry Gray's wonderful music. In fact, except for the production values, I would say the music is the best reason to watch this film. It's Gray at his best, a truly cinematic score which takes full advantage of the bigger budget compared to TV. The already-mentioned opening title sequence and the scene where the spy develops his photographs are standouts. Much effective use is made of the Ondes Martenot, an electronic instrument similar to a theremin, to produce eerie sounds.

I'm baffled that the film world didn't sit up and take notice of this supremely talented composer. Unless I'm mistaken, Gray didn't compose any films after DOPPELGANGER, and based on this score alone, I would have thought film producers would have been breaking down his door to get him to score their pictures.

I have to say, I don't really know how I feel about the ending. On the one hand, the unexpectedness of it is quite intriguing. It also has a certain cold elegance and logic. But my problem with it is that the events at the ending occur not because of anyone's character, not because of what anyone does. Thus, the ending seems a bit calculated and forced, and pointless as well, because no one learns anything, no one grows or develops as a result. Here, the Twilight Zone criticism does perhaps have some merit, because this kind of ending is really more suited to a short story or a half-hour episode of an anthology TV series, where the ideas are more important. But perhaps it's less appropriate in a film, where we've invested two hours in the plot and gotten to know and (to some extent) care about the characters.

All in all I found it a fascinating film and quite enjoyable.

Better Than 2001: A Space Odyssey.......2006-06-19

A response to Brainman's critique dated 6/7/06: When I watch Journey To The Far Side Of The Sun, I assume EUROSEC is using ion propulsion for the trip to the new planet and back, otherwise your critique would definately be on target. A nuclear powered engine using ion propulsion traveling at approximately .000274 percent of the speed of light could make the trip to the new planet in 21 days. The second point on language-- that the doppleganger humans should be speaking backwards--isn't necessarily so according to a point that is made in the script. Near the end of the film there is speculation about the polarity of matter on the two worlds. Are they the same or are they reversed? The characters aren't sure. This leaves open the door that not everything on the new planet need be reversed. And when one thinks about the written word on the doppleganger planet, the inhabitants there, too, would have to read, and therefore speak, as we do. Why? Because, while it is true that script is reversed on the doppleganger planet, don't forget that the dopplegangers would be reading from the right to the left, and not from the left to the right as we do (assuming, of course, we're talking about english script). Therefore, the dopplegangers would speak as we speak if, let's say, they were reading script aloud! The third point on why Ross elected to eject the Dove from the Phoenix, and subsequently crash, setting off a spectacular series of explosions at EUROSEC, is because the Phoenix fired its retros. But this answer just begs the question: why did the Phoenix fire its retros at all? All we have to go by in the movie on this matter is Ross saying he doesn't know why the Phoenix fired its retros. The answer lies in security. If you recall, EUROSEC is not just about the business of space exploration, it's also about the business of keeping its secrets secret. Throughout the movie security is highlighted. This cult of secrecy that pervades EUROSEC informs us as to why the Phoenix fired its retros: because Phoenix's onboard computers identified a foreign object atteming to gain entry. Remember, when the Dove linked up with the Phoenix, the polarity of the doppleganger Dove's electrical systems were reversed from that of the Phoenix. The Phoenix recognized this foreign object attempting to gain entry and fired its retros, sending it into a downward spiral into the doppleganger Earth's athmospher. I hope these clarifications help.

JOURNEY TO THE FAST SIDE OF THE SUN.......2006-06-07

Did anyone else notice it takes 3 weeks to get to the planet on the other side of the sun. That's 93 mil miles x 2.
Took 3 days to the moon, 1/4 mil miles. So, say a mil miles is 10 days, roughly; plus there are variables like Sun's grav.
10 x 93 = 930 days, or say, about 3 years.... x 2.
6 years.
That's some super rocket.

Also, good thing on the other Earth they didn't speak English backwards like they wrote it, hahe. They would have, logically speaking.

And can someone explain why when he tried to return to Earth, he could not dock as the craft pushed him away? What repulsive rationale was that? Must have been so that he could re-enter and crash into the rocket to make a big explosion finale (they were new then).

Doppelgänger.......2005-08-30

It is the dawn of the space age. A space probe comes back with the news of another planet in an orbit opposite of earth. Due to the fact that security was compromised we have to hurry-up and check it out with a manned probe. We send the top astronaut Colonel Glenn Ross (Roy Thinnes) and top scientist John Kane (Ian Hendry) on a three week mission to check it out. Instead they return after three weeks.

Why did they turn back?
What is upsetting Colonel Glenn Ross?

The models and lack of proper CGI make this film seem a bit dated even for 1969. And the clothing and props reflect their concept of the future. But when you get used to it the story is fun and well acted. This movie will make a good addition to you cultural history collection.

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