Today’s Good News: “Helvetica”

**WARNING: FEEL-GOOD STORY** I saw the new film “Helvetica” on Friday and all I can say is: OMG!!! It is the most intoxicating film you can imagine. I mean Moet & Chandon intoxicating! Anyone who appreciates design, especially graphic design, will love it and walk away singing. OK, it doesn’t really have a political angle, unless it’s to celebrate the power of art beyond its commercial applications. That’s really what this film does: it celebrates the power of great art as expressed in this perfect and ubiquitous typeface, and it celebrates great graphic artists, who in their madly lyrical discourse give a glimpse into how and why they do what they do.  The director said in an interview that “Helvetica’s 50-year “career” also mirrors a period of dramatic change for the type trade and the design world in general. So I thought it would be a good structure through which to look at those issues.”

Helvetica IS the modern world, and when one artist puts an old Coke ad from the fifties with frumpy cursive type next to a sixties ad that clearly belongs to a new era and intones – “Coke. Period. It’s the real thing. Period. Helvetica. Period. Any questions?” you can see how the  type itself communicates.

I am a former typesetter and longtime fan of modern design, so I’m not quite a civilian approaching the film.  I do think that anyone who understands any kind of artistic passion would enjoy it immensely as well.The film is currently on a world tour (selling out everywhere) and the DVD is also available. It’s directed by David Hustwit, who produced the fine Wilco documentary, “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart.” Check out the phenomenon here.

Filed by Karen on September 16th, 2007 under Art, Media