Timewatch Who Killed Ivan the Terrible? (1982– ) Online

Timewatch Who Killed Ivan the Terrible? (1982– ) Online

A surprisingly good documentary, made in a time when the BBC was still a label for quality. Looking for a solution to the riddle about the death of Ivan the terrible, this TV-movie gives also an almost nostalgic look at Moscow at the beginning of the 1990s, richly supplemented with nice image work about this legendary city. Unfortunately the DVD gives at end credits not on who was responsible for the acted film fragments added to the documentary. These are Russian spoken (not subtitled), so this is probably a Russian cinematographic production. The film fragments and documentary images are nicely balanced, and the music in the background is equally good. That makes the whole thing just pleasant to look at. But the most important is that you gradually get a better look on the history of Russia and the power struggle of the first Tsar against the Boyars and how Tsar Boris Godunov, as second, finally could take over the power. A pearl for who are interested in history. (M)