Think about it like this: compare films from the time; a good comparison is "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "Solaris" - both excellent space films, but the effects in 2001 are far more ingenious and convincing than those in the Russian film "Solaris"

It was not always that way. May be you don't know, but there was a Soviet movie "Planet of storms" (Планета бурь) filmed in 1961 by Pavel Klushantsev. Interesting, that it was about joint USSR and US expedition to Venus. Venus was pictured as habitable planet with flora and fauna. I think it is not a problem to find that movie on the net with English subtitles or dubbing. The level of effects is near StarTrek Original series filmed 5 years later. If you like scifi, spend some time to watch it, it is really a milestone in scifi movies. It was even counterfeited and cutted, with removing everything that resemble USSR, even names in credits was changed to English-like ones, by some US studio and sold in US as "Voyage to the Prehistoric Planet" in 1965. :) Stanley Kubrick and George Lucas was aware of Soviet movie and tried to connect with Klushaktsev. Robert Skotak (special effects in Terminator 2) meet with Klushantsev in 1992.

So, initially USSR was a leader in space scifi, but things quickly changed in magic 1970, and there was no any noticeable scifi movies in USSR since then.

Also interesting, that few scientists participate in developing movie, including designing Venus surface. Scientists in USSR really believe that Venus potentially could be habitable. That is why USSR spend a lot of effort and money to explore Venus with Venera probes. Also it could be a reason to abandon lunar exploration in spite of Lunokhod missions success. Why spend money for lifeless Moon and Mars if there is potentially habitable Venus? However, future Venera missions show that Venus is far from habitable. Venera program was cutted. With USSR destruction Russian space industry switched to commercial and international projects with visible revenue.

As for all that questions about fake space exploration, really it does not matter at all. Technology definitely developed to the level when it is possible. It is possible to send probes to other planets, men on the Moon, drive robotic rovers on Mars and pick some mud from asteroids. But it is expensive and gives a little profit.