A Russian & Soviet Movie Podcast with Ally Pitts

Spencer Seams , podcaster & writer, joins Ally Pitts to discuss Andrei Tarkovsky's full-length debut. Expect SPOILERS from about 16 minutes in until the end. Ivan's Childhood stars Nikolai Burlyayev, Valentin Zubkov, Nikolai Grinko, Yevgeny Zharikov, Irma Rausch, and Valentina Malyavina. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser:  www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemov...

Carrie Pitts, former Moscow resident, expert heckler, and Georgian food advocate joins Ally to discuss this slice of seasonal schmaltz. Expect SPOILERS from about 23 minutes in until the end. Six Degrees of Celebration  stars Ivan Urgant, Sergey Svetlakov, Elena Plaksina, Vera Brezhneva, Aleksandr Golovin, Kristina Asmus, Dato Bakhtadze, Sergey Garmash, and Mariya Poroshina. If you enjoyed this ep...

Marilag Angway and Meghan Griffin podcasters and fairy tale super-fans, join Ally Pitts to discuss this loose modern-day adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid. Expect SPOILERS from about 19 minutes in until the end. CONTENT WARNING: suicide is a recurring theme of the film and there's also some nudity. Mermaid stars Mariya Shalayeva, Evgeniy Tsyganov, Mariya Sokova, Irina Skri...

Esther Jolliffe, film Studies masters graduate, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this biopic of the first tsar of Muscovy, which was voted 102nd greatest film of all time in the 2012 Sight and Sound Critics' Poll . Listeners in the UK can buy This Thing of Darkness: Eisenstein's Ivan the Terrible in Stalin's Russia by Dr Joan Neuberger from Cornell University Press, via our uk.bookshop.org affiliate li...

Alex Taylor, writer and performer, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this big screen version of the beloved stage musical, itself an adaptation of a story by Russian-Jewish writer Sholem Aleichem. Expect SPOILERS from about 15 minutes in until the end.  CONTENT WARNING: the movie depicts anti-Semitic attacks and persecution. Fiddler on the Roof stars Topol, Norma Crane, Leonard Frey, Molly Picon, Paul M...

Edward Evans, English language teacher, lapsed chemist, occasional YouTuber and long-time Moscow resident, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this 'Red Western'/'Eastern'.  SPOILERS from about 19 minutes in until the end. The White Sun of the Desert stars Anatoly Kuznetsov, Spartak Mishulin, Pavel Luspekayev, Kakhi Kavsadze, and Lidiya Smirnova. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on P...

Lyn Seren, Russophiles Unite regular and Bill & Ted enthusiast, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this knockabout time-travel comedy caper. Expect SPOILERS from about 7 minutes in until the end. Ivan Vasilyevich Changes Profession stars Yuri Yakovlev, Alexandr Demyanenko, Leonid Kuravlyov, and Natalya Seleznyova. Support the show/fund Ally's caffeine habit at:  ko-fi.com/russophilesunite The show's...

Carrie Pitts, former Moscow resident and self-described 'emergency back-up guest', joins Ally to discuss this late '80s Russian cult favourite.  We were fortunate enough to see it on the big screen as Kino Klassika put it on as part of their #YouthOnTheMarch season of Soviet New Wave films . Expect SPOILERS from about 9 minutes in until the end.  CONTENT WARNING: the movie features scenes domestic...

Mark Bullen, author, former police officer, and expert on Russian organised crime joins Ally Pitts to discuss iconic '90s neo-noir crime drama Brother. It stars Sergei Bodrov Jr, Viktor Sukhorukov, Svetlana Pismichenko, Yury Kuznetsov, and Sergei Murzin. CONTENT WARNING: In the film, it is implied that a male character rapes a female character off-screen. SPOILERS from about 32 minutes in until th...

Sarah Roberts, artist and podcaster, , joins Ally Pitts to discuss this early Soviet silent sci-fi adventure. SPOILERS from about 11 minutes in until the end. Aelita stars Nikolai Tsereteli, Valentina Kuindzhi, Yuliya Solntseva, Nikolai Batalov, and Pavel Pol. Check out Sarah's artwork here: http://sarahkathleenroberts.com/ The outro music is by Gamers in Exile, from their alternative soundtrack t...

Ayna Niyazova , artist and illustrator, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this Oscar-winning epic period drama that depicts the series of calamities that led to the downfall of the Romanov dynasty. SPOILERS from about 25 minutes in until the end. Nicholas & Alexandra stars Michael Jayston, Janet Suzman, Laurence Olivier, John McEnery, Michael Bryant, and Tom Baker. Support the show/fund Ally's caffe...

Martin Kessler, filmmaker and host of Flixwise: Canada joins Ally Pitts to discuss this 1930s-set film that is part memoir, part crime drama. CONTENT WARNING: the film depicts a suicide attempt. SPOILERS from about 23 minutes in until the end. Martin has also written a series of in-depth essays on Aleksei German Sr. and his films published by film site The Pink Smoke. My Friend Ivan Lapshin stars...

Joel Torres, podcaster and film fan, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this unconventional biopic that focuses on Emperor Hirohito's response to Japan's defeat in World War II. SPOILERS from about 23 minutes in until the end. The Sun stars Issei Ogata and Robert Dawson. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser:  www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast Support the show/f...

Tracy Tanoff, podcaster, literature fan, and period drama connoisseur, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this sprawling late 1990s epic from the director of the 1994 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film winner Burnt by the Sun .  The Barber of Siberia stars Julia Ormond, Oleg Menshikov, Alexei Petrenko, and Richard Harris.  SPOILERS from about 12 minutes in until the end. CONTENT WARNING: a rape...

Lyn Seren, man who likes interesting films and appreciator of dogs, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this historical epic/unconventional biopic of the famous Russian icon painter. Expect SPOILERS from about 7 minutes in until the end. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser:  www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast Support the show/fund Ally's caffeine habit at:  ko-f...

For the last episode of this batch, it's Window to Paris from 1993. It stars Sergey Dreyden , Agnes Soral , and Viktor Mikhaylov , and was directed by Yuri Mamin . Joining Ally to discuss the film are Carrie, & Lyn, who you may remember from such episodes as Irony of Fate, Loveless, Stalker, and Lady Macbeth. SPOILERS from about 6 minutes in until the end. If you'd like to get in touch and tel...

Malcolm Nygard, writer and podcaster, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this Soviet take on one of the most famous Sherlock Holmes stories. SPOILERS from about 34 minutes in until the end. The Hound of the Baskervilles stars Vasily Livanov , Viktor Solomin and Nikita Mikhalkov , and was directed by Igor Maslennikov . SIGNIFICANT SPOILERS from about 34 minutes in until the end. If you enjoyed this episod...

Lydia Kapp, writer, actor, and artist, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this dark, violent London-set crime drama. CONTENT WARNING: the movie discussed on this episode contains depictions of sexual violence; human trafficking, and graphic violence. For more information, please visit: https://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/eastern-promises-2007   SPOILERS from about 24 minutes in until the end. Eastern Promise...

Teegan Johnson, industrial psychologist and sci-fi fan, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this early 1980s curiosity. Listeners in the UK can support the show by picking up a book via our online affiliate bookshop. 10% of the sale will go towards covering the costs of running the show and you'll also be helping out independent bookshops! Visit  our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store here! If you enjoyed th...

Matt Billingsley, editor and Iannucci aficionado, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this black comedy satire. It was effectively banned in Russia, but well-reviewed by Russian critics (if you don't read Russian, just count the thumbs-up) .  CONTENT WARNING: the movie depicts multiple executions and implied sexual assault off-screen.  SPOILERS from about 10 minutes in until the end, although some things...

As a special Valentine's Day treat, we're watching Andrei Zvyagintsev 's latest film, Loveless  from 2017. The film stars Maryana Spivak , Aleksey Rozin , and Matvey Novikov . It has been nominated for a Bafta for Best Film Not in the English Language, and the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. To discuss the film, Ally is joined by former Moscow resident and self-described emergency back-up gu...

This time around we're watching Stalingrad , from 2013 and directed by Fyodor Bondarchuk . The film stars   Mariya Smolyakina , Yanina Studilina ,  Pyotr Fyodorov ,  Thomas Kretschmann , Sergey Bondarchuk , Dmitri Lysenkov , Andrey Smolyakov ,  Aleksey Barabash , and Oleg Volku . It was Russia's entry for Best Film in the 87th Oscars, but it ultimately wasn't nominated. To discuss the film, Ally i...

Lyn Seren, film enthusiast, cat admirer, and car owner, joins Ally Pitts to discuss British film  Lady Macbeth , which features a star-making performance by Florence Pugh. The screenplay is an adaptation of Nikolai Leskov's 19th century novella Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk District by  Alice Birch . Expect SIGNIFICANT SPOILERS from 4 minutes in until the end. CONTENT WARNING: If you're planning to watc...

Happy New Year, druzya! For our first film pick of 2018, we're watching historical drama  Tsar from 2009, directed by Pavel Lungin and starring Pyotr Mamonov and Oleg Yankovskiy . To discuss the film, Ally is joined by co-host of High & Low: A Kurosawa Podcast  and Russian history super-fan Spencer Seams . This episode contains moderate SPOILERs from 19 minutes in until the end. It also includ...

The film this time around is perennial Russian festive favourite The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy your Bath!  from 1975. It was directed by Eldar Ryazanov and stars Andrey Myagkov , Barbara Brylska , and Yury Yakovlev  (NOT Yakolev, like I kept saying on the episode). To discuss the film, Ally is joined by Russian language and literature grad and former Moscow resident Carrie Pitts. This episode is mil...