Danger, planète inconnue

Fans of Gerry Anderson's productions will recognise several actors and vehicles from UFO (which was made after Doppelgänger) - as well as sound effects from various Anderson series. Barry Gray's excellent music (mostly unique to this film) adds to the feeling of familiarity. For these reasons alone, I think any Gerry Anderson fan would find Doppelgänger worth getting.

Judged simply as a film, it has to be said that Doppelgänger is flawed. It is known that there were major problems during production, and I suspect this is why there is a time-consuming plot thread that ends abruptly and appears to have no relevance to the rest of the story. Presumably time/budget constraints prevented the relevance from emerging!

Distractingly, the special effects range from outstandingly good - better than any 1960s film that I know of - to disappointingly bad.

Nevertheless, even with these flaws, Doppelgänger's main story is well told and keeps the viewer (or, at least, this viewer) engaged throughout. The ending is perhaps not what one might expect from Anderson, yet at the same time it is typical of Anderson, and it is certainly appropriate. To find out what I mean you'll have to watch it for yourself. :)

In this film, the astronauts sent to explore a newly-discovered planet must deal with several dilemmas, and they do so intelligently. The film approaches it's main plot theme in a unique way, and unfolds it gradually, though it can be guessed beforehand.

The acting is very good, though sometimes stiff, as some late-60s acting can be. It can also be somewhat wordy and even melodramatic, especially after the plot theme reveals itself. Visually, it has a scene that resembles one in the previous year's "2001: A Space Odyssey", and that tends to date the movie. Some of the actors went on to star in the 1970 TV show "UFO," which is delightfully campy and worth checking out on DVD.

Despite these small points, the space flight itself is realistic, and considering this was 1969, the scenes inside the cockpit of the spacecraft also had a realistic look. (Look for some 1990s/2000s video technology in use, too!) One thing: I suspect a love scene has been cut, but I can't prove it! It would have been a distraction anyway.

Unlike most Sci-Fi films, this film will make you think about the plot, and that's well worth a look. I'm pleased to have this film in my video library.

I never claimed this film to be a masterwork. But, when I was a teenage boy, growing up during the Apollo project and the original Star Trek years, I found this film to be imaginative and thought provoking. The music score was especially to my liking - I didn't realize why at the time, but later in my career I came to understand what a fine composer Barry Gray was (I'm a school band director). The criticism offered in many reviews is unjustified. I recently purchased the DVD edition to add to my collection of 1950-77 sci-fi films (the "pre Star Wars" era). I always have held the film as one of the best of the era, largely because of its appeal to the emotions of "awe" and the film's visual and musical effects. Well worth owning, and far better than most of the junk produced during this era (with exceptions such as George Pal films, and of course, the entire Star Trek franchise).

I'll admit that like many others here this is a movie I've seen many times as a kid in the 70's. :)

The concept and story are just wonderfull. My favorite type of sci-fi, the kind that makes you think and doesn't completely bombard you with special effects.

Speaking of special effects, without spilling any beans I can say if you like The Thunderbirds, you'll love the SFX in this movie.

Gets a 8 on 10 for me.

How well I remember seeing this made for TV movie when it finally got over to this side of the pond on American television. This British made for TV film has a most intriguing idea, but it could have been better conceptualized.

Journey To The Far Side Of The Sun begins with the discovery some time in the future of a planet never seen before which is 180 degrees on the same plane diameter on the opposite side of the sun. Naturally the European Space Agency and its head Patrick Wymark want to make a voyage, certainly not in a straight line I hope or things could get hot for the astronauts.

Picked to go are American Roy Thinnes and British Ian Hendry. What they find there is something pretty frightening.

A lot's at fault here. I would think that an opposite Mercury and Venus would have been discovered as well, but no mention of that let alone the planets farther than earth from the sun. And while this body moves with'the same speed exactly across the diameter of the orbit the others certainly would have been noticed before even our time.

I also don't think the marital issues between real life husband and wife Roy Thinnes and Lynn Loring have anything to do with the main plot and add nothing.

An interesting idea not well thought out.