Product Details

• Actors: Roy Thinnes, Ian Hendry, Patrick Wymark, Lynn Loring, Loni von Friedl
• Format: Color, DVD, Letterboxed, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English (PCM Mono)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: G (General Audience)
• Studio: Universal Studios
• DVD Release Date: August 12, 1998
• Run Time: 92 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (58 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305081158
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #230,915 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Journey to the Far Side of the Sun" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

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

Product 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

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

61 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent science fiction with a plot twist, October 10, 2000

By 

Christopher Dalton (Louisville, Kentucky) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Journey to Far Side of Sun [VHS] (VHS Tape)

One thing you've got to hand to Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. Not only were they on the forefront in terms of creating excellent science fiction with wonderous costumes, sets, and the like, they also create science fiction with an excellent, if not bizarre twist to it. Much like 2001 and Planet Of The Apes. They would go on later to create Space:1999(another science fiction classic).

I first saw Journey To the Far Side Of The Sun at my grandmother's on a Saturday afternoon, watching it on the Saturday afternoon movies portion on one of the local television stations, and I must say that I was totally blown away by its plot twist. A mirror-Earth on the far side of the sun. And the explosive ending where astronaut and U.S. Air Force Colonel Glenn Ross(played by the great Roy Thinnes)tries to make an emergency landing in his spacecraft. The film was definately a quantum leap in science fiction. Especially with a plot twist that would have made a good Twilight Zone episode. Everything about this movie was great. From the plot to subplot, to the acting, etc. It is truly a cult classic among fans, especially those of the Andersons.

Roy Thinnes, as always, does an excellent job with the material he is given. From an astronaut that has marital problems, to being in a weird and bizarre situation, he does an excellent job of playing someone who is in the most strangest of circumstances. The other actors also do an excellent job as well. The soundtrack by the late Barry Gray, very powerful and moving. Especially in the scene where Thinnes is in front of a mirror in the space center administrator's office, putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

If you enjoy science fiction with a twist, be sure to check out this film. Man has gone to the moon. Now take another extraordinary journey!

39 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Long out of print cult gem back at last!, March 30, 2008

By 

Paul Carson (Oregon -- United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (DVD)

Bust open your Major Matt Mason figures, sixties sci-fi at its best is back! From British cult science fiction legend Gerry Anderson, Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (aka Doppelganger) has been unavailable for ages, short of paying over seventy-bucks for it on eBay! Now it's back! We'll have to wait 'til June to see if there's anything juicy on this edition, but at this price -- considering how scarce it's been and how unbelievably cool it is -- preordering is a no-brainer, kids.

All through the sixties, Gerry Anderson was making a name for himself with supremely high quality marionette "Supermarionation" entertainments like The Thunderbirds, all too often dismissed as "kid stuff." His productions continued to evolve --showcasing some of the best special visual effects anywhere -- and by the late sixties he was ready to make the jump to working with actors and using a wider canvas. Journey to the Far Side of the Sun is his first big reinvention. I'm leaving most of the plot for you to discover on your own, let's just say we're talking astronauts and jaw-droppingly cool vehicles -- always an Anderson trademark -- a mysterious planet and some mind-bending discoveries across the gulf of space... After Journey, Anderson continued his quest to deliver live action via TV series such as UFO -- probably one of the best cult series EVER, featuring many cast members from Journey -- and Space:1999.

If you grew up during the sixties on a diet of afternoon syndicated sci-fi matinees, you probably already know Gerry Anderson. He's nothing short of a cult legend. If you haven't discovered his live action work, you're in for a treat. The Oscar-nominated special effects in Journey to the Far Side of the Sun are simply phenomenal! Make sure you've got your seatbelts fastened!

Among cool sci-fi acting icons, star Roy Thinnes is probably one of the all time best, certainly one of the most underrated. In addition to this gem, he's appeared in the X-Files and many other fantastic films. And it's a great time to be a Roy Thinnes fan, because The Show of sixties cult shows that made Thinnes imortal -- The Invaders - The First Season -- is also coming out on DVD on May 27th! If you've never seen that one -- you are in for something truly special. A Roy Thinnes character will go where few others dare to and look trouble right in the eye. In sci-fi from this era, he was the definition of cool.

Sure, it's fashionable and fun to poke a little fun at sci-fi from this era -- with hard-drinking, nehru-jacket wearing astronauts and psychedelic production design, you may think you're on a journey to the "Far Out" side of the sun -- but this is one sensational era in the evolution of modern science fiction and Journey to the Far Side of the Sun showcases the talent and vision and pure command of entertainment that makes Gerry Anderson a pure treasure. Highly recommended.

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A+ for a B Film from the groovy 60s, February 3, 2001

By 

Michael Pinto "Anime Fan" (NYC, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Journey to Far Side of Sun [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This film is a low budget cross between James Bond and 2001. Produced by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, this video is a must have for any fan of the television series Space:1999 or UFO. While the plot (which is right out of a standard Twilight Zone episode) can get a little bit thin, the attention to detail makes up for any flaws. Every inch of the production is crammed with futuristic gadgets, mod furniture and cool looking spaceships, cars and airplanes. You really get to taste a 60's view of the "future" filled with video teleconferencing, x-ray security checks and a space program plagued by budget cuts. Graphic designers will love the look of the opening titles which contrast minimal typography with high tech photography (by the way the titles are the only part of the movie which are sort of in letterbox). Despite wooden acting and a slow editing pace, you will find yourself in love with the look and feel of this film. No it's not a "great film", but there is some nice model work, good art direction and decent music to keep a sci-fi fan entertained.