There was a lot of talk about this documentary in the pipe community, especially if it will ever be released. People hoped and waited for this to be release so we can all watch it while smoking our pipes. Personally, I find it too melodramatic. Of course, pipe smoking IS an art, a hobby, a pleasure, a way of life, a way of expression and so much. And a lot of it depends on the pipe makers. The names in the movie are really heavy names, real artisans, real artists and craftsmen. But I believe the documentary was way too exaggerated when it came to certain subjects. We waited for this documentary for a long time. Some fellow pipe smokers liked it, some didn't, but I'm pretty sure we all expected more from this. Honestly, I've seen small documentaries about pipe tobacco blending that were better than this one. Maybe we'll get a full length documentary on pipe tobacco blending as well. :) Hopefully.

I'm not a pipe smoker and the only two pipe smokers that come to mind are Sherlock Holmes and General Douglas MacArthur. Yet, I found this quiet documentary, directed by Chad Terpstra, to be quite informative and interesting.

It mostly centers on the world renowned pipe maker Lee von Erck, an artisan whose dedication and devotion to pipe making comes through loud and clear during the film. Von Erck, whose personality is quite engaging, works alone in his shop in Northern Michigan and reflects on the influence his father had on him, and as this doc goes on it will be a recurrent theme of other master pipe makers whose father's greatly influenced them in their craft.

We'll meet "Mimmo", based out of Taggia, Italy, who is not only a pipe maker but has become a specialist in cutting briar wood, from the white heath tree there, and is the main supplier to von Erck. He also has become a friend to him. Additionally, Mimmo's wife Karin and their children add a congenial atmosphere when they're on screen.

As mentioned, they'll be visits with other noted pipe makers around the globe, and it's easy to pick up how important it is for them to maintain the traditions of excellent craftsmanship handed down from their fathers. Also, there's a segment re the Native American tribes in North America, considered to be the originators of the pipe, and who have used it for centuries for ceremonial purposes.

There is no mention of the dangers to one's health by smoking a pipe in the film. Also, English subtitles are only available in certain segments in the doc and they have very small lettering. I was able to obtain additional subtitles through my closed caption option.

Overall, knowing nothing about pipe making when I began this film, I was able to get a good sense of how it's done, and how important a craft it is for these global artisans.