Helvetica, The Movie

We saw a great movie over the weekend at the Gene Siskel Film Center. Helvetica, a documentary by Gary Hustwit, explores the history of THE modernist typeface, which celebrates its fiftieth birthday this year. At first glance a film about a font may seem like a snoozefest, but the discussion about Helvetica encompasses a much larger conversation between high modernism and DIY design.

Some love it and some hate it, but Helvetica (with its clean, modern and some think totalitarian aesthetic) is everywhere: on street signs, subway maps and Gap ads, peeking out at you from almost any city street.

Interviews with over a dozen designers show the scope of stances in the design world, and the overwhelming impact of modernism on design today. Massimo Vignelli (left), designer of the super-clean American Airlines logo, and David Carson (right), former Art Director of the experimental Raygun magazine, are on opposite ends of the design spectrum.

Movie posters by Dutch firm Experimental Jetset (left) and British studio Build (right) both available here.

Helvetica plays in Chicago through the 21st. The film also has tour dates lined up for the next few months and an excellent website with movie posters for sale, created by designers interviewed in the film.

Comments (6)

The Chicago screening of Helevtica is NOT over. It is playing till the 21st.

posted by fiveten on June 19th 2007 at 8:42am
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Thanks for the correction, fiveten. Nice save! We re-posted the correct closing date.

posted by sarah c on June 19th 2007 at 8:54am
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this was awesome.
it made me happy to see people who get as excited as i do about fonts.

posted by julie mack on June 19th 2007 at 10:03am
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American Airlines uses Helevtica as well as MSN. It's linked to some really big companies.

http://www.bobbyberkhome.com

posted by NYCSHOPPER81 on June 19th 2007 at 11:23am
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This movie is so excellent. And believe it or not, it is laugh-out-loud funny as well.
PLEASE, see it. Even if you're not a graphic designer or type nerd. :-)

posted by HollyinDC on June 20th 2007 at 9:35am
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I just got home from seeing it tonight. Loved it!!!
Puts things in perspective, I have long known how ubiquitous it is, but learned a lot from the movie. M friend and I found ourselves looking at all the typefaces we passed on our walk home.

posted by Devyn on June 20th 2007 at 6:27pm
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