Doppelgänger (1969)

Dreadfully Boring

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

A clever, if implausible, premise with some trite dialog and an abundance of plot holes and goofs - not to mention numerous bad guesses on future technologies. You definitely have to suspend disbelief here, but the storytelling is good enough this isn't a huge issue.Some impressive production design and miniature effects foreshadows Gerry Anderson's later cult classic series 'Space: 1999'.Special effects hold up quite well - this movie looks better than many CGI-riddled features made decades later.And the climactic destruction of the launch complex is spectacular - miniature effects involving smoke, liquids and fire tend to suffer, it's even distractingly noticeable in Titanic, and troublesome enough that Terry Gilliam doesn't even attempt realism in The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. But the explosions in this movie definitely don't look like miniatures, they're utterly convincing, comparable to footage I've seen of propane facilities and oil fields blowing up. The miniatures must have been quite large, and I can't imagine how they could have kept this under control in a closed indoor set. A jaw-dropping technical achievement.

The European Space Exploration Council sends two astronauts to explore a planet similar to the Earth but located on the opposite side of the sun.Gary Gerani, co-writer of "Pumpkinhead" (1988), ranks the film 81st in his book "Top 100 Sci-Fi Movies", praising Doppelgänger as a "fine example of speculative fantasy in the late '60s". He expresses satisfaction with Thinnes' and Wymark's performances, the characterization (and the themes entailed, including adultery, infertility and corruption) and the "Fourth of July-style" special effects, calling the film "enigmatic".I thought the concept of this film was brilliant, because it would actually be possible. At least some of it. And then the "twist"... while not possible, still a pretty great idea. The film could have veered into horror at that point, but remained firmly in science fiction, in some ways even working as a companion piece to "2001"...

'Journey to the Far Side of the Sun' or 'Doppelgänger' as it is sometimes known, the latter title arguably gives away too much of the film's plot, but this is an intriguing little film either way. The plot involves scientists discovering a planet ostensibly identical to Earth and in the same orbit, just obscured on the "far side of the sun"; some twists and turns result when two astronauts are sent there. The film's big revelation about the planet provides more questions than answers and the space race thriller elements of the film's first quarter of an hour feel out of place with the overall meditative tone of the motion picture, but 'Journey to the Far Side of the Sun' is always engaging to view and very competently made. The film's futurist sets are among its best assets. There is nothing ostentatious with all furniture and room designs coming across as logical and practical. There is also a nifty prosthetic eyeball camera gadget and the rarely seen newfangled cars are remarkable too. Some have commented that the film would have worked better as a 'Twilight Zone' episode or more compact short film, which may well be true, however, the fact that the second half of the film is not rushed or paced like a fast action thriller works to its advantage. The film fully basks in the protagonist's confusion and uneasiness upon encountering the planet and as such it becomes a testament to the mysterious of outer space and all the wonders it beholds, not unlike Tarkovsky's 'Solaris'. Yes, the plot may be scientifically improbable, but if not dissected too deeply, it makes for a worthwhile experience.

If you are under the age of 75......You did not see it when it came out.And it was never shown on TV.Why you might ask?It's boring compared to pretty much anything else available Of similar genre and cast of that time frame.Character development is non existent. Well that's not true. After about 10 minutes of the film goes by..... Every character has developed an annoying vanilla quality.I turned it off and switched to moon-raker.Jaws with his shiny steel teeth... James Bond... Space ships. That is all.