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Helvetica: A Documentary Film

helvetica dvdI just watched Helvetica: The Documentary Film, which is now out on DVD. An entire film about a font. It’s absolutely wonderful.

The film tells three stories at once:

  • The history of typography since the 50s
  • The history of design since the 50s and
  • The history of Western culture since the 50s

And it achieves all this without one image of a dancing hippie or a stock-shot of the Vietnam war.

The film toggles between designers who love the simplicity and clarity of Helvetica and designers who hate the homogeneity and soullessness of the font. Everyone has a compelling argument why Helvetica should be ubiquitous or should be banned.

Here’s a clip of designer Erik Spiekermann telling us why he thinks Helvetica sucks:

In the liner notes to the DVD, filmmaker Gary Hustwit says, “I couldn’t believe that some of these designers had created 50+ years of work that we see every day, but that no one had ever interviewed them on camera about what they do.”

There are simply not enough documentary films about graphic art and design but Helvetica begins to fill this huge void.

It’s an excellent film. I’ve watched it twice already and could easily watch it a dozen times more.

Also of interest:
Helvetica, The Documentary Film website
Helvetica: The Film (Previously on Drawn)
(DVD) Helvetica: The Documentary Film

  • danimal

    Right on! I was just thinking I want to watch this documentary again.

  • danimal

    Right on! I was just thinking I want to watch this documentary again.

  • http://elnegromagnifico.blogspot.com El Negro Magnifico

    That film was so much fun to watch.

  • http://elnegromagnifico.blogspot.com El Negro Magnifico

    That film was so much fun to watch.

  • http://www.geraldguerlais.com Geraldraws

    You are right, there is not enough documentary about graphic art and design …and that ‘s why it’s a very good news that Owls producution and Fau media are making a documentary about the sketchtravel operation :-) (more infos on http://www.sketchtravel.com and the blog)

  • http://www.geraldguerlais.com/ Geraldraws

    You are right, there is not enough documentary about graphic art and design …and that ‘s why it’s a very good news that Owls producution and Fau media are making a documentary about the sketchtravel operation :-) (more infos on http://www.sketchtravel.com and the blog)

  • http://minimaldesign.net/ yann

    YEah, I watched it a couple months ago… Not to be missed. It’s really well done, and everyone interviewed has something interesting to say.

  • http://minimaldesign.net/ yann

    YEah, I watched it a couple months ago… Not to be missed. It’s really well done, and everyone interviewed has something interesting to say.

  • http://jedalexander.blogspot.com/ Jed Alexander

    I concur. I have no great passion for typography, but this documentary made it seem pretty fascinating.

  • http://jedalexander.blogspot.com Jed Alexander

    I concur. I have no great passion for typography, but this documentary made it seem pretty fascinating.

  • http://www.mStudiosTALK.com/ mStudios

    Yes, this is a wonderful movie. Of course, as a Swiss I anyhow feel attached to this one, but the Helvetica IS an amazing font. One could worry that such a long movie about only one thing alone could become boring, but far from it! Not only an eye opener to how deeply the Helvetica is integrated around us, but also watching the interviews of these diverse people is very inspiring!

  • http://www.mStudiosTALK.com mStudios

    Yes, this is a wonderful movie. Of course, as a Swiss I anyhow feel attached to this one, but the Helvetica IS an amazing font. One could worry that such a long movie about only one thing alone could become boring, but far from it! Not only an eye opener to how deeply the Helvetica is integrated around us, but also watching the interviews of these diverse people is very inspiring!

  • http://www.brownlowdesign.com/ muse

    I enjoyed this film too. Its worth it for interviews with Stefan Sagmeister and David Carson alone.

  • http://www.brownlowdesign.com/ muse

    I enjoyed this film too. Its worth it for interviews with Stefan Sagmeister and David Carson alone.

  • http://elnegromagnifico.blogspot.com El Negro Magnifico

    Michael Beirut’s rant was the film’s pinnacle, in my opinion. It was both on point and hilarious.

  • http://elnegromagnifico.blogspot.com El Negro Magnifico

    Michael Beirut’s rant was the film’s pinnacle, in my opinion. It was both on point and hilarious.

  • http://www.arnjuice.com/ Paul Morris

    The film was great. I got extra credit from my teacher for watching it, but watching it was a reward in and of itself.

  • http://www.arnjuice.com Paul Morris

    The film was great. I got extra credit from my teacher for watching it, but watching it was a reward in and of itself.

  • http://www.studiosushi.com/ studiosushi

    Thx for the reminder, I haz to watch it.

  • http://www.studiosushi.com studiosushi

    Thx for the reminder, I haz to watch it.