Doppelgänger (1969)

Director:

Robert Parrish

Writers:

Gerry Anderson (story) &
Sylvia Anderson (story) ...

Release Date:

11 November 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Tagline:

You will meet yourself face-to-face when Earth meets its duplicate in outer space!

Plot:

A planet is discovered in the same orbit as Earth's but is located on the exact opposite side of the sun...

Plot Keywords:

Planet | Astronaut | Sun | Space Travel | Parallel World

Cast

Roy Thinnes	...	Colonel Glenn Ross
Ian Hendry	...	John Kane
Patrick Wymark	...	Jason Webb
Lynn Loring	...	Sharon Ross
Loni von Friedl	...	Lisa Hartmann
Franco De Rosa	...	Paulo Landi (as Franco Derosa)
George Sewell	...	Mark Neuman
Ed Bishop	...	David Poulson (as Edward Bishop)
Philip Madoc	...	Dr. Pontini
Vladek Sheybal	...	Psychiatrist
George Mikell
Herbert Lom	...	Doctor Hassler

Also Known As:

Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (USA)
Danger, planète inconnue (France) [fr]
Doppia immagine nello spazio (Italy) [it]
Más allá del sol (Venezuela) [es]
Matka auringon taakse (Finland) [fi]
Matka auringon tuolle puolen (Finland) [fi]
Rumrejsen bag solen (Denmark) [da]
Unfall im Weltraum (West Germany) [de]
Viagem ao Outro Lado do Sol (Portugal) [pt]

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Norway:12 | UK:A | USA:G

Filming Locations:

Albufeira, Algarve, Portugal

Company:

Century 21 Television

Trivia:

Patrick Wymark's character complains of heart trouble early in the film. Ironically, Wymark really did have a bad heart and died the following year.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Dr. Hassler is developing the film from his eye camera, he does so under a red safelight. However, red light will fog undeveloped film; only photo paper is non-responsive to red light.

Quotes:

Desk Sergeant: Your pen, Doctor Hassler.
Doctor Hassler: Sorry, Sergeant.
[removes pen from pocket and hands to sergeant]
Doctor Hassler: (joking) Now my plan is ruined. You see, this is not a pen at all. It's a "secret camera".
Desk Sergeant: Better luck next time, Doctor.

Movie Connections:

Edited into Out of this World Super Shock Show (2007) (V)

excellent science fiction flick from the creators of Thunderbirds, etc.

Journey to the Far Side of the Sun is about the discovery of a planet on the other side of the sun which shares the same orbit as earth and therefore has been undiscovered until a space probe on the far side of the sun photographs it. Of course two astronauts (Roy Thinnes & Ian Hendry) are sent to explore it but due to a malfunction they crash & find themselves back on earth only 3 weeks into their six week journey. Of course they're berated (at least Thinnes is, Hendry is gravely injured) and grilled and asked why they turned back on their mission but it's claimed that they didn't. Until Thinnes seems to notice a few very odd things about being back "home". This is excellent if somewhat talky at times, and the sets and feel aren't a far cry from "Thunderbirds" territory but will live actors for once. It's no big "Star Wars" type production but more quiet science fiction that one has to think about a bit. Well worth seeing and it's criminal that the DVD is out of print. 8 out of 10.