Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1657 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-06-16
• Rating: Exempt
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 2

Amazon.co.uk
A major BBC documentary, Russia sees Jonathan Dimbleby attempt to put across the largest nation on Earth over the course of a 10,000 mile journey. The end result fills up five 60 minute episodes, each of which you’ll find in this DVD set.

And on the whole, it’s a very strong release. Billed as the first television look of its type at the nation, Dimbleby takes us via road, rail and foot as he undertakes his adventure, and his look at Russia certainly tucks away many of the stereotypes you may be used to seeing.

At its best, Russia is a fascinating, brilliant piece of documentary television, genuinely unearthing new and interesting things, as well as a plethora of individual stories. Dimbleby is perhaps not the most obvious host, sometimes putting a little bit too much of himself into the mix rather than focusing on the nation he’s there to show us, but on the whole he does a commendable job.

Yet inevitably, it’s the nation of Russia itself that’s the main attraction here. And while you can’t help but feel that this documentary only scratches the surface of the nation, it’s still a welcome and thorough introduction to a once-mysterious country. More like this please, BBC. --Jon Foster

DVD Description
In television's first comprehensive journey through the vast and varied landscapes of Russia, the resourceful Jonathan Dimbleby makes an epic journey from one end to the other, killing cliches and revelling in the unpredictable. Across nine time zones and through all extremes of weather, Dimbleby seeks out the people of this strange and extraordinary land.

From the Arctic Circle where the summer sun never sets to the subzero wastes of Siberia, from white witches to hirsute masseurs, from oil wells to shamans, Dimbleby's journey by boat, train, truck and foot is heart-warming, entertaining and compelling. From outside, Russia is both forbidding and enticing. Inside it becomes an exhilarating adventure.

Customer Reviews

Jonathan D. dvd RUSSIA
I think it is a very good attempt to show Russia to the West. Attempt - because you can never show it all as it is. Russia is and will remain a mystery. I am Russian and I have seen a lot of it and still there is something new and new and new and wonderful there. Of course there are drawbacks in that film and leaving aside poor translation - those are mainly those political views that John keeps pushing. That "democracy" fairytale of nowadays he seems to be believing in. Do it in the west first - before you can sell it to others! Put your own house in order! And leave Russia alone for at least a few years without attacks from outside world. And show Russia from different points of view. JD is not the only right way of seeing things and he DID NOT show a lot of Russia`s life and people. Even if all he did was a usual propaganda - still - through it - you can see and feel Russia! JD could not help to love it himself! Mother Russia is Mother Russia - WATCH it and see for yourself!God bless you.

Review of Russian Journey
To the people who still have the 'cold war and USSR' view of Russia, this journey through the varied parts of this, the largest country in the world, will be fascinating and a revelation about the people and the culture. This DVD in my opinion shows for the first time the true facts about this complex land with people who have been through so many difficult times during the dramatic changes before and after the Revolution. Having visited Russia and stayed in St Petersburg, Moscow and Tomsk I can only congratulate Jonathan Dimbleby and the BBC on a superb and accurate overview of the transitions which have led to the present Russian Federation. The locations picked to show the people in the sometimes stunning scenic views were inspired and in my opinion an essential part of this educational programme. I would recommend this Series to any thinking person who wishes to discover a relatively unexplored country whose reserves of minerals, oil and gas will have a great impact on the Western way of life in the not too far distant future. When you get off the Transaero 737 from Moscow to Tomsk at 6.10am with deep snow everywhere and a temperature of minus 46degC you know you have arrived in Siberia. However the traditional Christmas trees and decorations with the great local Xmas cheer and spirit (in my case a lifesaving glass of brandy)make you feel at home.
George G Brown, Bristol, England

A good idea
I was really looking forward to this series by Jonathon Dimbleby. On the whole it is quite good with lots of views of a place few of us know much about. I do believe though that there should have been more research prior to the filming as often I found some of it bland and quite uninteresting. An example was the last episode where a Chinese migrant worker was asked 'why do you come here to work?' It was so obvious he doesn't work in Russia for the weather. Then there was the old gent with the Gold mine who was doing very well thankyou, Jonathon though,was trying to draw out from him a political view which he really didn't have as he is just a business man with no particular interest in politics, I found that rather silly. Too much focus on peoples political opinions and perhaps not enough insights into how people live there on a daily basis. Nevertheless it was a good idea to make this programme and I hope that it encourages further travelogues perhaps probing deeper into this massive country.

I have recently been reading Ryziard Kapuchinskis 'Imperium' a book crammed full of really fascinating stories and anecdotes about the former USSR. Jonathon and his team would have done better by reading a copy of this fantastic book by a great writer.