I am about to take a history course in the upcoming quarter, but I am having trouble finding a documentary (since I learn best alongside visuals to keep me alert as I am retaining information) that properly and adequately informs the audience with the history of Russia and the Soviet Union from its birth (early 1900s) to its death (1991). All suggestions are welcomed and appreciated!
You might want to check out CNN's 24-episode documentary, Cold War. A lot of the episodes are going to be more international-oriented than you're looking for, but you could still get some use out of it, particularly the episodes: "After Stalin," "Sputnik," "Red Spring," "The Wall Comes Down," and "Conclusions."
I believe all of the episodes can be found on Youtube.