Die letzte Zigarette

Too short on hard facts (or opposing viewpoints) to satisfy as a documentary, "The last cigarette" works as an imaginatively constructed attack on the culture of smoking. Film maker Kevin Rafferty ditching conventional narration and statistics techniques - pleads his case by seamlessly editing together congressional testimony by Big Tobacco CEO's and archival pro-cigarette propaganda footage. The juxtaposition is effectively jarring, and though its final moments lack some much needed subtlety, "The last cigarette" never drags.

Whether you happen to be a cigarette smoker, or not - I'd definitely say that this "Last Cigarette" documentary is certainly worth some serious consideration by all.

In this eye-opening presentation director, Kevin Rafferty takes a close-up look at the smoking culture as it has existed in America. And, with that in mind, he carefully examines how, through devious and ruthless advertising tactics, the general public has been duped and seduced, time and again, into believing that smoking cigarettes is, indeed, both healthy and glamorous.

All-in-all - I certainly recommend this enlightening documentary to all curious-minded viewers.

For starters - Even though I thought that this 1999 documentary about the seduction of cigarette smoking verses the reality of cigarette smoking was quite competently produced, it was actually far too long for its own good.

With a full running time of 80 minutes, I seriously think that if a good 15 minutes had been axed from this time, it wouldn't have negatively affected this documentary's resounding impact one bit.

Directed by Kevin Rafferty - The Last Cigarette's format was actually quite cleverly presented.

Like a surreal collage of non-stop images featuring vintage TV commercials and film clips focusing on cigarettes, Rafferty interlaced these with the reality of a 1994 Supreme Court hearing where 7 reps from America's major tobacco companies were ruthlessly cross-examined by Judge Waxman, who demanded that these charlatans admit to the fact that smoking cigarettes does cause cancer.

Anyways - Even though The Last Cigarette was somewhat overlong, it was still well-worth a view.

This movie is an editors dream using old cigarette ads of the fifties and the big tobacco congressional hearings.A documentary without a narrator, but a very dynamic soundtrack, makes this very interesting and entertaining to watch.

I realize that this comment area is not meant to function as a message board, but I feel compelled to respond to the previous user's comment. (That "The Last Cigarette" doesn't drag.)

I started off liking this nifty compilation of stock footage and commercials, but I couldn't believe how long it dragged out. I saw this at a screening at the Director's Guild in LA, so I couldn't just walk out. Basically, it's about three times as long as it needs to be. Long after the film has made it's obvious point, (Tobacco companies lie - surprise!), the film continues to chug along, making the same point with a seemingly endless montage of stock footage.