Finally saw Helvetica last night on DVD. My friend Jake saw it a few months ago when it was shown in Philadelphia. I have an amateur’s interest in design, so the idea of a documentary on the typeface Helvetica intrigued me. Plus, I value Jake’s opinion on these matters (he has a professional’s interest in design).
I highly recommend this little gem. It’s not just a boring history of a typeface (or font). But it also gives a sense of the social changes in our society through a combination of branding & design. It also really makes one think about the ubiquitous presence of text in our everyday life—and how that text (both through content and through the text’s design) conveys layers of meaning that shape our lives. And it’s interesting that a little Swiss typeface is at the intersection of the argument between modernists & postmodernists. Or how some view the simple Helvetica as the emblem of globalized capitalism (it’s used widely in advertising), while others see it as the herald of anti-capitalism (because of it we’re all amateur designers). Fantastic.
