
Stump the Guesser! (Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, Galen Johnson; 2020)
Lyn Seren joins Ally Pitts once again, this time to discuss this surreal Canadian spoof of early Soviet film. Some Ways You Can Support the Show: First of all, please subscribe on your podcatcher of choice, if you haven't already! At the time of recording, this film was on MUBI. At the time of this update (Nov '24) it isn't but try out MUBI for free for 30 days with our referral link anyway! www.mubi.com/russiansovietpod Here are some recommendations! Ally's MUBI recommendations on Letterboxd If you're listening from the UK, you can pick up a book from our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store; 10% of the sale will go towards the running of the show, and another 10% will go towards supporting independent bookshops around the country. There's also our www.rusandsov.com affiliate store where you can get t-shirts, wall posters, coffee mugs, and more with a Russian and or Soviet theme. If you use the promo code RUSSOPHILESUNITE at check out, you'll get 10% off, and they ship locally in the US, the EU, and Australia. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants. You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify. If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that: Twitter: @RussophilesU Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/ Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/ Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
23 Tammi 202217min

New Year 2022 Bonus Episode
What else did Ally get up to last year when he wasn't recording Russophiles Unite episodes?
17 Tammi 202229min

Carnival Night (Eldar Ryazanov; 1956)
Carrie & Ally Pitts discuss a Khrushchev Thaw-era musical satirical comedy from the director of Soviet New Year staple The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!. Some Ways You Can Support the Show: First of all, please subscribe on your podcatcher of choice, if you haven't already! If you're listening from the UK, you can pick up a book from our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store; 10% of the sale will go towards the running of the show, and another 10% will go towards supporting independent bookshops around the country. There's also our www.rusandsov.com affiliate store where you can get t-shirts, wall posters, coffee mugs, and more with a Russian and or Soviet theme. If you use the promo code RUSSOPHILESUNITE at check out, you'll get 10% off, and they ship locally in the US, the EU, and Australia. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants. You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify. If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that: Twitter: @RussophilesU Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/ Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/ Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
26 Joulu 202146min

The Lighthouse (AKA Mayak) (Maria Saakyan; 2006)
Film historian and Hamo Bek-Nazarov Project co-founder Daniel Bird joins Ally Pitts to discuss this astonishing debut feature by the late Armenian-Russian director Maria Saakyan. To celebrate the release of the new restoration the film on region-free Blu-ray, Second Run are offering 10% off the list price of The Lighthouse and/or any other Blu-ray or DVD on Secondrundvd.com. coupon code RUSSOPHILES at check-out. PLEASE NOTE: this discount covers the Blu-rays & DVDs at secondrundvd.com only, and does not apply to delivery charges. The offer is available until 28th April 2022. Mayak is also streaming on MUBI. You can claim your free 30-day trial of their incredible film streaming service by visiting: www.mubi.com/russophiles Ways You Can Support the Show: If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast If you're listening from the UK, you can pick up a book from our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store; 10% of the sale will go towards the running of the show, and another 10% will go towards supporting independent bookshops around the country. There's also our www.rusandsov.com affiliate store where you can get t-shirts, wall posters, coffee mugs, and more with a Russian and or Soviet theme. If you use the promo code RUSSOPHILESUNITE at check out, you'll get 10% off, and they ship locally in the US, the EU, and Australia. Music Credits: The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants. You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify. Contact Us If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that: Twitter: @RussophilesU Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/ Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/ Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
30 Marras 20212h 15min

Announcement: Gentlemen Don't Get Caught, an R.E.M. Podcast, hosted by Ally Pitts & Lyn Seren
Ally Pitts and Lyn Seren are hosting podcast where they discuss the music of alternative rock legends R.E.M. one track at a time. It's called Gentlemen Don't Get Caught, and we think you should listen to it! You can find the show at this link.
8 Elo 20212min

STATE FUNERAL (Sergei Loznitsa; 2019)
Kristaps Andrejsons, journalist and host of The Eastern Border podcast, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this documentary which provides a startling insight into the cult of personality surrounding Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. STATE FUNERAL is now showing on MUBI. You can claim your free 30-day trial of their incredible film streaming service by visiting: https://mubi.com/russiansovietpod - Ally's MUBI recommendations CONTENT WARNING: In this episode, we discuss the violence of the Soviet state under Joseph Stalin. If you're listening from the UK, you can pick up a copy of The Last Days of Stalin by Joshua Rubenstein, It's Only a Joke, Comrade by Jonathan Waterlow, or another book from the wide selection in our uk.bookshop.org virtual affiliate bookshop. 10% of the sale will go towards the running of the show, and another 10% will go towards supporting independent bookshops around the country. There's also our www.rusandsov.com affiliate store where you can get t-shirts, wall posters, coffee mugs, and more with a Russian and or Soviet theme. If you use the promo code RUSSOPHILESUNITE at check out, you'll get 10% off, and they ship locally in the US, the EU, and Australia. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants. You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify. If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that: Twitter: @RussophilesU Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/ Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/ Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
21 Touko 20211h 16min

Gorky Park (Michael Apted; 1983)
Phil Manchester, former Moscow resident and pub quizmaster extraordinaire, joins Ally Pitts to discuss this adaptation of the first of Martin Cruz Smith's Arkady Renko detective novels, set in early 1980s Moscow. CONTENT WARNING: The film includes violence and gore, including violence against women. SPOILERS for both the book and the film (and indeed subsequent Renko books) from about 23 minutes in until the end. Support the show/fund Ally's caffeine habit at: ko-fi.com/russophilesunite Listeners in the UK can help the show by picking up a book from our uk.bookshop.org affiliate store. The selection includes Gorky Park and the rest of Martin Cruz Smith's Arkady Renko novels. There's also our www.rusandsov.com affiliate store where you can get t-shirts, wall posters, coffee mugs, and more with a Russian and or Soviet theme. If you use the promo code RUSSOPHILESUNITE at check out, you'll get 10% off, and they ship locally in the US, the EU, and Australia. If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on Podchaser: www.podchaser.com/russophilesunitemoviepodcast The show's intro music is Cold by Sasha Ilyukevich and the Highly Skilled Migrants. You can find more of their music at: https://thehighlyskilledmigrants.bandcamp.com/ or on Spotify. If you'd like to get in touch and tell us what you thought of the film and/or the podcast episode, it would be great to hear from you! Here are some ways you can do that: Twitter: @RussophilesU Email: russophilesunite@gmail.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/russophilesunite Instagram: www.instagram.com/russophiles_unite/ Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/Ally_Pitts/ Find Ally's other podcast appearances at: https://www.podchaser.com/creators/alistair-pitts-107ZzmUqmI
2 Touko 20211h 23min