April 05, 2021

Tripping on Tolkien


Tripping on Tolkien
Gandalf with Bilbo. Screenshot from "Хранители / Часть 1" by Youtube channel Пятый канал Россия.

Are you a member of that rare breed who yearns to stumble on the magical intersection between Russophilia and kitschy nerd-dom? Or a fan of hairy fairy folk with mystical inclinations and a hint of пошлость (crass banality)? If so, then look no further!

Russia’s Channel Five recently published two episodes of a supposedly “lost” television show on YouTube. The series is based on “The Lord of the Rings” and was filmed at the Leningrad Television Studio in 1991. The show aired only once, but it has only now resurfaced, much to the delight of Russian Tolkien fans.

The series was based on a translation by Vladimir Muravyov and Andrey Kistyakovsky from the 1980s. Actor Viktor Kostetsky took the role of Gandalf, Georgy Shtil played Bilbo and Valery Dyachenko starred as Frodo.

Russian music aficionados, a little easter egg for you: the music was composed by Andrey "Dyusha" Romanov, a member of the Russian rock group Akvarium.

In addition, "The Fabulous Journey of Mr. Bilbo Baggins, The Hobbit" based on the book "The Hobbit, or There and Back Again," was also shot at the Leningrad studio in 1985. You can watch this film on YouTube, too.

All episodes come highly recommended for their special Soviet flair – they just don’t do special effects like they used to...

hobbits fishing
Hobbits fishing. Screenshot from "Хранители / Часть 1"
by Youtube channel Пятый канал Россия.

 

 

You Might Also Like

In Search of Bards
  • January 01, 2009

In Search of Bards

To paraphrase Pushkin, "In Russia, a bard is much more than a bard." We look back at the bardic tradition (singer-songwriters) in Russian culture and find that not all is what it seems. Or, to paraphrase Pushkin again, "In Russia, a bard is often less than a bard."
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

White Magic
June 01, 2021

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

Bears in the Caviar
May 01, 2015

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka
November 01, 2012

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955