Doppelgänger (1969)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

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 | Sun | Astronaut | Space Travel | Outer Space

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)

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:

The Phoenix spacecraft's power reactor is depicted as having been manufactured by Rolls Royce.

Goofs:

Plot holes: Col. Ross uses a lander/ascent module from the "mirror" Earth to recover the mother ship from his own Earth in order to prove the existence of both worlds. There was concern that the electrical polarization (right-hand rules, etc.) would be different for each vehicle. Since this could potentially pose severe consequences for both vehicles, then why did Col. Ross attempt to physically dock the two vehicles (with the predicted result)? Surely it would have been more prudent to park the ascent vehicle a short distance away and space-walk the remaining distance.

Quotes:

Lisa Hartmann: Sharon has left?
Glenn Ross: Yeah. You know, in way she left a long time ago.

Movie Connections:

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

Really Cool!

I had never seen this movie before it aired on a local cable sci-fi network. It reminded me of the Irwin Allen TV series of the late 60's (Time Tunnel etc). Excellent effects (they beat Star Trek 5 done 20 years later, but then that wasn't very hard to accomplish).

I found the script very intriguing and mature for this type of production. They would have needed a few touch ups to tie some loose ends on the characters' level, but for a kid movie its surprisingly interesting (especially the the glimpse at futuristic euro- politics, surprisingly similar to today's European Union!)

The plot is indeed reminiscent of Twilight Zone in general (as other users have pointed), but in this case it's a compliment.

Great sets, by the way!

7/10