News: Gerry Anderson's JOURNEY TO THE FAR SIDE OF THE SUN (1969) Coming To Blu-Ray

Space: 1999 creators Gerry & Sylvia Anderson's 1968 feature film, Journey To The Far Side Of the Sun (a/k/a Doppleganger), starring Roy Thinnes (The Invaders), is coming to Blu-ray disc in the U.S. on April 7th from Universal.

From the Press Release:

Classic sci-fi adventure and suspense has never been more exciting 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! 

It's an interesting movie, with a dark tone and overall aesthetic that is very similar to Anderson's subsequent TV series, UFO. In fact, a number of the props, costumes and musical cues from the film (most notably the "futuristic" automobiles) showed up on UFO a year or two later, along with a few cast members.

So far, no word on any extras, but I wouldn't really expect any from a Universal catalog title. The Journey To The Far Side Of the Sun Blu-ray is already available for pre-order at Amazon.

Coming Attractions: JOURNEY TO THE FAR SIDE OF THE SUN (1969) Theatrical Trailer

And today, for your weekend viewing pleasure, we present the theatrical trailer for Journey To The Far Side Of the Sun (a/k/a Doppelganger), the 1969 feature film produced by Gerry Anderson (Space: 1999). It's an interesting movie, with a dark tone and overall aesthetic that is very similar to Anderson's subsequent TV series, UFO.

In fact, a number of the props, costumes and musical cues from the film (most notably the "futuristic" automobiles) showed up on that series a year or two later, along with a few cast members.

Captain's bLog 0208.11

•  As mentioned in my last Captain's bLog entry, I've been out straight with freelance writing commitments for the last few months. So, for a while, anyway, you're likely to see a lot more image-centric posts here at Space: 1970, at least until I clear some stuff off my desk and have time to write (and finish writing) some more substantive posts for this site (including the long-teased Omega Man and Space: 1999 "War Games" articles). I usually feel like posting just pictures or videos is a bit of a "cheat," but the truth is, I generally get as many - or more - comments/feedback on those posts as the ones that I labor over for hours....

•  A couple weeks ago, I went ahead and ordered a copy of the Hunter Prey DVD from an online retailer, and in the same order, I purchased a copy of the 1969, Gerry/Sylvia Anderson-produced feature, Journey To The Far Side of The Sun (a/k/a Doppelganger). Hopefully, they'll get here this week.

I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit that I've never seen Journey - a serious oversight for the proprietor of a blog like this one - but I've wanted to for a long time. Aside from the Anderson connection and the associated fine miniature effects & FAB production design, I'm a big fan of star Roy Thinnes, so I'm eager to finally sit down and watch the film.

•  I also picked up the Rollerball DVD the other night, used, for about $5. Unlike Journey, this movie is one I've seen several times, but I never owned a copy, and I'm pleased to finally add the disc to my 70s sci-fi library. Now all I need to do is pick up a copy of Silent Running (another glaring hole in my collection)....

• Stats: We're up to 467 "likes' over on the Space: 1970 Facebook page and 220 "followers" here on Blogger. As always, thanks for your support. It's pleasant to work on something that other people seem to get so much enjoyment from.