Serendipity35

It's odd for me to review a film here, but this is an odd film.It's a documentary called Helvetica by Gary Hustwit. It's a film about a typeface. Yes, a typeface.

If it seems strange to recommend such a film, imagine what it took to get the money to make the film.

Helvetica, the typeface, was created by Max Miedinger and Eduard Hoffmann in the late 1957 in Switzerland. They originally called it Neue Haas Grotesk, but later changed to Helvetica from Helvetia, the Latin name for Switzerland. (This is all on the exam and is great stuff for parties and bar conversations.

I rented it from Netflix, but I just might buy it. I can write the $19 off as a business expense since typography is one topic in the graduate design class I teach (one of my students had recommended it). But I don't think you need to teach typography to get into this film. No really.

From the film's web site:

"Helvetica is a feature-length independent film about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. It looks at the proliferation of one typeface (which celebrated its 50th birthday in 2007) as part of a larger conversation about the way type affects our lives. The film is an exploration of urban spaces in major cities and the type that inhabits them, and a fluid discussion with renowned designers about their work, the creative process, and the choices and aesthetics behind their use of type."

It runs 80 minutes (the bonus interviews are actually longer at 95 minutes) and the time flies by.

There are designers in the film who like Helvetica and those who really hate it. Can people feel strongly about a typeface? Yes. If you watch it, you'll get an appreciation for typography and graphic design - and you may uncover your own hidden love for Gill Sans or realize that you can tell the difference between Helvetica and Arial or finally understand why sans serif is more 2.0

The film has a blog site and even a store. How many of you will end up sporting a Helvetica t-shirt at the beach this summer?