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1. Ivan V. Back to the Future
Russian Time Travel Comedy (1973)
Also known as: "Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession".
Plot: A scientist in Moscow builds a time machine at home.
As a result, his neighbor Ivan ends up in the tsarist era and has to pretend that he is the tsar, while the real tsar Ivan the Terrible winds up in 1970s Moscow.
It is a film directed by Leonid Gaidai, who created several Russian comedy classics.
In Russian movie portals and also on IMDB this movie has the highest rating of all Russian movies.
This Russian TV series, which follows the plot from the books very closely, is considered by many to be the best Sherlock Holmes adaptation, and not only in Russia.
After the first broadcast of this TV series in England in the 1980s, Margaret Thatcher commented that it was the best Sherlock Holmes she had ever seen.
The Russian actor was even made a member of the Order of the British Empire in 2006 for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes
(Wikipedia Link).
Another incredibly popular comedy by Leonid Gaidai.
The film consists of three parts, with three independent stories.
The only thing they have in common is the main character Shurik.
Plot: The first part of the movie is about Shurik working on a construction site, the second part is about university students preparing for exams and the third part is the actual "Operation Y" with the famous anti-hero trio and the good-natured Shurik.
Alternative title of this movie: "Battle for Sevastopol".
The film is about Lyudmila Pavlichenko, the most successful female sniper of all time, and closely follows the historical facts and her biographical details.
This included a visit to the USA in 1942 where she really said:
„Gentlemen, I am 25 years old and I have killed 309 fascist occupants by now. Don’t you think, gentlemen, that you have been hiding behind my back for too long?“
The most successful cinema film of the Soviet Union.
According to sales statistics, this action film was seen in Soviet movie theaters by more people than any other Soviet film (87 million film tickets sold).
Though nowadays the action doesn't seem that impressive, for the Soviet Union it was the first film of this kind in the early 80s.
Plot: Pirates attack and sink a Russian freighter somewhere in the South Seas.
Alternative titles: "Midshipmen, Onwards!" or "Gardemarines, Charge!". The Gardemarine was a rank in the Imperial Russian Navy from 1716 to 1917 (Wikipedia).
This TV series is about the adventures of several young naval cadets in 18th century Russia.
They become involved in political affairs and help the Russian Vice-Chancellor against foreign intrigues.
Nowadays, this series would probably be called "Young Adult".
This modern Russian film is often compared to "Apollo 13" and can definitely measure up to Hollywood films.
Plot: The film is about the dramatic rescue of the Salyut-7 space station in 1985, which is considered one of the most significant achievements of manned spaceflight.
The film depicts the true course of the mission, but also has some fictional elements to increase the drama and suspense.