Helvetica DVD with David Carson, Erik Spiekermann, Matthew Carter (NR) +Movie Reviews

Love Helvetica, Hate Helvetica...See Helvetica

Ronda Davis | Atlanta, GA USA | 11/09/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The historical significance of the typeface as well as the on-going evolution of typography make this a must see for anyone interested in typography and graphic design, but also a fine entertainment for film enthusiasts. Compelling interviews with notable professionals are informative, witty and often hilarious. Visuals run the gamut from elegance to true grit. Kudos to Gary Hustwit and his crew for this living history before it is not longer possible."

My old friend is now a movie star

edgepixel | europe | 05/01/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"
I'm a working graphic designer.

I'm an art graduate. As a child, I enjoyed to look at fonts for hours - a Letraset catalogue(titled in big Helvetica letters) from the 80s was one of my (most) prized possessions.

When I first heard about this movie I was thrilled. Now that I saw it, I can say it was worth my time. The movie is smart, witty, and a pleasure to behold - an endless stream of layouts. And valuable insights, commentaries and history. Oh yes, the film is also inspirational - it makes you think about good design. It makes you desire good design, whatever that may mean today.

My favourite quote from the movie:
"The life of a designer is a life of fighting--fight against the ugliness, just like a doctor fights against disease. For us visual disease is what we have around and what we try to do is try to cure it somehow, you know, with design." Thanks Mr. Vignelli for putting things into perspective.

Given Helvetica's importance in design history, this is not a movie you should miss.

I first saw Helvetica(the font) as a child, I first acknowledged it as a high school design student, now it's one of my 3 most used fonts at work. I know it's flaws and shortcomings, and I've come to rely on it's many strengths and virtues. It's versatile, strong and straightforward. It's one you can trust. It's also got a softer side, when you come to know her better. It's an old friend of mine, that now is starring in it's own movie! Now that's something to celebrate.

Cheers, Helvetica! Cheers, old friend!"

Do you love documentaries?

Ann Makowski | Alexandria, VA United States | 11/16/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If so, this is the film for you. I was lucky enough to see it at the annual conference of the Society for Environmental Graphic Design - and loved it! It's accessible not only to designers but also to me - the biology major in the room. Gotta love a detailed history of something that you see every day - but may not notice."

Wonderful Film

Varun Bhandari | Pittsburgh, PA USA | 11/29/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I wholey recommend this movie to anyone who is interested in art, design, consumer culture, or in FONTS. This film is a seriously great documentary that covers all aspects of typeface. Very comprehensive and honest, Helvetica kept me 100% interested throughout the film. And in case you think documentaries are boring, don't worry, this one is hilarious - way funnier than rhinos doing it.
I offer my full recommendation, whatever that may mean to you."

The Story of Helvetica is the Story of 50 Years of Graphic C

mirasreviews | McLean, VA USA | 05/02/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"For the 50th anniversary of its creation, director Gary Hustwit takes us on a tour of the history, ideology, culture, controversy, and success of the ubiquitous Helvetica font. Created in 1957 by Eduard Hoffman and Max Miedinger of Haas Typefoundry, taking its name from the Latin word for Switzerland (Helvetia), the land of its conception, Helvetica is the quintessential modern typeface. It turned out to be just what everyone was looking for and exploded onto graphic design in the 1960s. Now it's everywhere: billboards, subways, logos, signage, consumer products, IRS tax forms, and the default on the computer I'm using now.

Not everyone is a fan of Helvetica, or perhaps I should say that not everyone is a fan of its ubiquity. Through interviews with 3 generations of graphic designers and type designers, "Helvetica" presents both its fans and detractors, what makes it is a truly great font, what makes it controversial, and the reasons it persists. Helvetica is the font that rescued graphic design from the kitschy chaos of the 1950s. A product of post-war idealism, Helvetica was perfect for facilitating communication in an intelligible, egalitarian way, on an international scale. It is described as: modern, clear, rational, accessible, transparent, and neutral.

By the 1970s, Helvetica had earned its share of critics. What had been revolutionary to old-school modernists seemed fascistic, boring, overused, and conformist to Baby Boomers. In rebellion against Helvetica, graphic designers sought more subjective, distinctive styles of type including illustrated, hand-drawn, and grunge typefaces. By the late 1990s, Gen Xers and their European counterparts were embracing Helvetica again, though perhaps with different goals and rationale. The story of Helvetica is no less than that of how we communicate graphically. In this Internet age, when type design is everpresent, "Helvetica" helped me understand what I'm looking at. Subtitles are available in English and German."

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