Hello friends. I have seen the movie "Reds" about the Russian Revolution. It is a wonderful drama - and a period piece. Now I am curious to really understand the circumstances of that revolution. All I really know about Russia is in context or relative to WWII. Is there a good documentary that covers it ? It seems quite complex regarding the type of governments and the logistics of that amazing event. You really don't get lots of material about it in western media in general. Thanks.
Well, if you liked "Reds" you could read the book that the movie was based on. 10 Days that Shook the World by John Reed.
There is a ton of stuff out there that deals with the Russian Revolution. Personally I'd recommend A People's Tragedy by Orlando Figes. It's a bit long but it does a wonderful job of outlining the context of the Revolution as well as the aftermath. In my opinion no study of the Russia Revolution is complete without delving into the subsequent civil war, which Figes's book does.
You could also go the biography route. Lenin: A Biography by Robert Service would be good for that.
As far as TV documentaries I'm really at a loss. I'm sure some are out there but I really can't comment as to their quality.