Journey to the Far Side of the Sun (1969) Gerry Anderson Pulls Away The Strings

The incredible had happened. The mindblowing discovery of a new planet in our solar system! How can that be? Hidden behind the sun, following our own Earth’s orbital pathway, was another celestial body. Always hidden. The year is 2069. With data being processed from a returning Sun Probe, the shock findings throw intrigued and mild panic through the European Space Exploration Council. EUROSEC’s director Jason Webb (Patrick Wymark) mind goes into overdrive. They need to urgently send a manned mission to the mysterious new planet immediately.

A few snags! One, they haven’t a rocket! Two, they haven’t enough money to build one. Especially in the short time slot before another agency beats them to it. And three, they need a pilot! What if there’s aliens? Jason Webb knew exactly the guy they needed. He’s dealt with extraterrestrials before.  He’d changed his name since and became the chief American astronaut at NASA. Glenn Ross’s past was only know to some, lucky Jason Webb was one. Ross had tussled with alien beings from a dying planet before. Under the name David Vincent (Roy Thinnes). If there were to be Invaders, this was the guy you wanted on your team.

Jason Webb – “We discover a NEW planet! In OUR OWN solar system! Military and scientific implications BEYOND comprehension! We ask our friends, for a few dollars, and it’s, No Go!.”
David Poulson – “One billion dollars, Jason!”
Jason Webb – “Cheap at TWICE the price!”

So after a breach in security and the small change of three thousand million dollars. The rocket gets made. Now he’s got his Glenn Ross onboard but he needs an astrophysicist. More like steamrollered, Jason Webb puts forward his, so called friend John Kane (Ian Hendry) to reluctantly sit next to Ross on this dangerous mission. Cue harsh montage of terrifying and ridiculously tough endurance tests for John to be put through. Then the brave twosome are strapped to a colossal bomb ready to be blasted around the sun to their strange destination.

Tagline – Man has conquered the moon with the epic Apollo 11 flight! Now take another momentous journey!

What will happen on this fantastic voyage? A six week return Journey to the Far Side of the Sun? Lucky they get to sleep for three weeks, wired up to a hibernation machine. As they drift into deep sleep, blissful music floats around with cascading mountains of technicolor filling the screen. Tranquil beautiful visions accompanied with the strange mellow tones of the Theremin* so trippy, so relaxing…….. until that is, everything goes tits up!

What will happen to Glenn Ross and John Kane when they arrive at the curious strange planet? What will they find? Could there actually be life? Will there be aliens wanting to suck out their brains through a straw? One thing’s for sure there’s lots of spinning disc drives, data print outs, control panels, Herbert Lom! and lots of thoughtful moody looking in mirrors! It’s well worth checking this fine, end to the sixties, science fiction gem.

A few things

• Directed by Robert Parrish who had made a few film noirs back in the 50s. Cry Danger (1951) is superb and also in the same year The Mob which I haven’t seen yet.
• The story and screenplay are by the magnificent Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. After a “string” of extremely popular TV productions of children’s (for adults too I must add) fantasy adventure stories featuring puppets. So many classic shows. Joe 90, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, Stingray, Fireball XL5, Thunderbirds and later in the 80’s Terrahawks.
• Journey to the Far Side of the Sun I believe and I maybe wrong, was Gerry Anderson’s first and only attempt at an adult science fiction film, breaking away from the family entertainment market. Though Space 1999 did have some TV movies, though I believe they were double episodes edited together?
• Known originally in the UK as Doppelgänger.

• How could I forget the two super beautiful ladies. Roy Thinnes wife at the time Lynn Loring playing, well his wife Sharon Ross. And the EUROSEC scientist Lisa Hartmann played by Loni von Friedl.
• Lookout for the Mongolian Sea Rescue Agency outfit! I desperately need that for the next time I go out dancing!

• The incredible special effects and miniature work were overseen by Derek Meddings. Who worked with the Andersons through most of the projects. He’d also go on to work on a lot of the Roger Moore years of James Bond.
• Composer Barry Gray applies his wonderful sound to the film. A long collaborator with the Andersons. Working on, to name a few, the theme tunes for Stingray, Thunderbirds, UFO and my favourite Space 1999. *Now I’m sure that is a Theremin during that mellow sequence, please let me know if not.
• Parker Solas Probe – NASA has a robotic spacecraft launched in 2018 and currently on it’s way to probe the outer corona of the Sun! Whaaaaat it all might come true!

Journey to the Far Side of the Sun has always been high on my favorite sci-fi film list. I just love the imagination, the set designs, and the character ideas. But most of all is the absolutely beautiful, realistic miniature work. The “grand scale” of the rockets and docking spaceships, land craft is outstanding and still stand up so impressively today.

With all it’s flare and quality special effects the story does unfortunately lose itself in the last quarter. Still I admire it’s ambition and I’m a sucker for 60s futuristic furniture design. And to add to that, it has David Vincent and that’s enough for me.

PS Thanks always for popping by my humble movie blog. Here’s a few more things.

Here’s my appearance with David Vincent on that lost episode of The Invaders called Mind Melt.

And Colonel Glenn Ross helped me out on a music mix sometime back! The Soul Mystery Number Five.