Helvetica

"Helvetica"
Gary Hustwit, 2007

"Helvetica" is a decent documentary about the relatively new, now-ubiquitous font that is called, well, Helvetica. Through interviews with various graphic designers and many, many shots of signs that feature Helvetica, it provides an interesting perspective on fonts, which is an area that I wasn't all that familiar with. Fonts, we learn, are just like any other fashion or artistic movement: there are trends towards a certain style, and then a reaction. This is all pretty interesting, and yet the film feels like it should be more interesting. There is the nagging feeling that we are given only a fleeting glance into this surprisingly vast subject. For instance, we know why people really like Helvetica - and why others, just as equally, hate it - but why, exactly, was the font so revolutionary? The filmmakers avoid delving into the larger realm of font-hood; there is no exploration, for instance, of the craftsmanship that goes into making a font, and the things that makes certain fonts more aesthetically-pleasing than others. "Helvetica" has a more limited scope - for better or for worse, it simply wants to focus on Helvetica.

Rating: 6

First Viewed: 8/15/08, on Blu-ray Disc - IMDb