|
Journey to the Far Side of the Sun | 
 enlarge | Director: Robert Parrish
Actors: Roy Thinnes, Ian Hendry, Patrick Wymark, Lynn Loring, Loni Von Friedl
Studio: Universal Studios
Category: DVD
List Price: $19.98
Buy New: $12.75
You Save: $7.23 (36%)
New (26) Used (4) from $12.75
Rating:  30 reviews
Sales Rank: 4242
Format: Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Dubbed)
Rating: G (General Audience)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 102 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 61026038
UPC: 025192603822
EAN: 0025192603822
ASIN: B0016B6ZJW
Theatrical Release Date: November 11, 1969
Release Date: June 24, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
| |
| Similar Items:
|
| 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
Sci-fi adventure and suspense has never been more exciting or intense as when you Journey to the Far Side of the Sun! One hundred years in the future two astronauts are sent to uncover the secrets of a "duplicate" Earth on the other side of the Sun. When they crash land three weeks earlier than they had planned they must embark on a life-or-death mission to determine whether they have arrived back home or on the strange mirror world. This imaginative space adventure offers a journey few will ever forget!
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 25 more reviews...
 Sci Fi July 30, 2008
Carol A. Saenz (Dallas, TX United States)
Great DVD from the past. Enjoyed every minute of it. Would recommend it to any Sci Fi enthusiast.
 Bare bones... July 28, 2008
Fan-O-Films (Kansas City)
The movie is excellent for it's time - great effects, again for it's time.
Big minus on this version - NO EXTRAS , not even scene selections!
 The movie gets an A, but Universal gets an F- June 28, 2008
The Angry American (Charlotte, NC USA)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
For a movie with the kind of camp appeal that "Journey to the Far Side of the Sun" has, I would have thought that Universal would have put a little more effort into the presentation. Yes, the transfer of the movie looks pristine--it sounds and looks great, particularly considering it debuted almost 40 years ago. And although the model work may look a bit cheesy--the launch sequence, especially, would give true space fans fits with the cheese factor--that is one of the movie's most endearing qualities. The Dove, the Doppelganger landing craft, and the Eurosec facilities (in Portugal!) are, to me, better for this type of movie than the fancy CGI computer work.
While the movie itself is wonderful, and takes me back to my first time seeing it, on a TV station that showed it without commercial interruption during broadcast tests, Universal should be ashamed for the lack of extras on this. There's no scene selection menu, no movie trailer--nothing that would add to the viewer's experience. (Universal also committed the same blunder with another one of its classic movies, the disaster thriller "Earthquake".) It's almost as if they wanted to just get the movie out there and be done with it.
Still, despite the lack of goodies, "Journey to the Far Side of the Sun" is worth the purchase.
Lovely transfer of a classic SciFi June 26, 2008
J. Burns (Hollywood, CA USA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
A century from now, a probe to the Sun discovers a new planet in the solar system, in Earth's orbit opposite the Sun. A manned expedition seems to return to Earth three weeks early, and the surviving crewman is grilled to discover why he turned back.
The phenomenal effects in this picture (both special and practical) are must-see for science fiction fans, with the ships, future cars, and various futuristic (for 1969) devices a major highlight. Some futurisms have clearly passed us by (computer punchcards?), but the earnestness carries one past such elements.
The premise is a stretch (best enjoyed with your Twilight Zone cap in place) and the acting is overwrought at times. Gerry Anderson's first move beyond marionettes often brings a marionette-like feel to its mise-en-scene - this is unquestionably a geekfest for gizmos, with a wacked concept as the centerpiece.
The DVD (the new 2008 release) delivers a gorgeous transfer, with excellent picture and sound. Sadly, the disc contains no special features, not even a trailer. Only language options and CC for the hearing impaired are available as options.
A solid movie-only release of a classic title. Glad to see this return to DVD, even if it's bare-bones.
A planet is found orbiting the far side of the sun and Roy Thinnes decides to go have a look in this sci-fi classic June 26, 2008
Wayne Klein (My Little Blue Window, USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
A minor science fiction classic from 1969, "Journey to the Far Side of the Sun" has a nice O. Henry twist that occurs midway through the film taking it in unexpected directions. I'd suggest NOT reading the product description because it has a major spoiler (why copywriters do this is beyond me).
Universal has created a new anamorphic transfer for this DVD. It's a nice transfer that looks sharp with nice color reproduction. Audio sounds good as well although the only audio options are for English (English for the hearing impaired and French subtitles are included).
Clearly timed to coincide with the release of the classic TV series "The Invaders" (also starring Thinnes), it's a pity that Universal chose NOT to add any extras. It's clear that Thinnes would probably have been willing since he just did an extensive interview for the first season of "The Invaders" and episode introductions for each first season episode. Also, I'm sure that there are featurettes out there that Universal could (and should) have licensed about the Andersons and their prolific work during the 60's and 70's producing TV shows and films. Unfortunately, we don't get anythng in the way of extras not even the original theatrical trailer.
Roy Thinnes plays an American astronaut Glenn Ross put in charge of an expedition of a planet in orbit around the sun on the opposite side. He an Dr. John Kane (Ian Hendry)go through the necessary training prior to their flight but, suddenly, find the time table for the flight moved forward by the director of Eurosec Jason Webb (Patrick Wymark)because he has concerns that some of the countries participating are going to pull their funds. The three week journey will require the astronauts to be in suspended animation. During the process of landing on the new world their lander crashes and when Ross awakens he finds himself back on Earth not knowing how he ended up there nor why it only took him three weeks to fly to the new world and return.
**SPOILER**
The original title overseas of hte film was "Doppleganger" which hints at what we eventually find out about Ross' journey to the far side of the sun.
**END OF SPOILER**
The script has merit and the performances by Thinnes and Hendry are terrific although Wymark is a bit over the top he also does a solid job. THe visual effects are nicely done (although you can barely make out the wires hoisting the Phoenix as she lifts off from Earth)particularly those that take place in space. In fact, Stanley Kubrick had considered Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's (the writers/producers of the film)21st Century Productions to do the visual effects for "2001: A Space Odyssey" before he elected to supervise visual effects technicians Douglas Trumbull, Con Pederson and others on the film.
The main flaw with the film is the direction by Robert Parrish ("The Twilight Zone", "Mississippi Blues", "Casino Royale")by which telegraphs too much. Perhaps some of that flaw is due to the script written by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson (who created/produced/wrote episodes of "Thunderbirds", "UFO" and "Space: 1999"), regardless the film has held up remarkably well and is still very entertaining particularly the second half of the film when Ross returns to Earth. The pacing of the film is a bit choppy suggesting that much was cut out (for example we learn of the death of a major charactr in a dialogue scene and the reaction of all involved suggests that they already knew he had died).
Although flawed, this is an entertaining minor science fiction classic from the 60's. Thinnes gives a sterling performance and the script hints at deeper aspects of his character making him very much a flawed hero (for example his wife at one point complains that he has hit her on more than one occasion and can be violent). It makes the film richer although many of these points are glossed over they do add to the overall impact of the film.
|
|
|
Copyright 2008 DVDonsale.com | |
