Helvetica (2007)

Date: 02/25/08
DVD
http://www.imdb.com/tt0847817/

Helvetica.

     For one moment, put yourself into the shoes of Gary Hustwit. You're a graphic designer but you've decided to put together a modern documentary on the one of the most widely used fonts in the world, Helvetica. Where do you start? More importantly, where do you go? Somehow, Gary Hustwit managed to find compelling answers to these questions to present us a documentary that not only gives an overall glimpse of what Helvetica is and represents, but also feelings of inspiration that the world is ours to conquer, even if by type.
     The structure of the film is laid out quite nicely; we start with an introduction offering us a glimpse of whats to come from the rest of the film, a glimpse of the interview subjects we'll see later and we move from there into an interview with a designer who loves Helvetica. This is the perfect way to pique our interest in the film and keep us fascinated throughout, even when other world renowned designers start trashing the typeface. Through all of this the audience gets a real glimpse into what Helvetica is, and I think that the film is suggesting that this typeface is what we make of it. The film casually points out that when American Airlines uses Helvetica it's distinguished and American, yet when American Apparel uses Helvetica it's chic and modern. Gary Hustwit's documentary is much like this in it's own right; distinguished with it's presentation of the history of the font and modern in it's analysis of it.
     Another aspect of Helvetica that's firing on all cylinders is the aesthetics. The camerawork is beautiful and the music the perfect counterpart to the camerawork and editing. Perfectly put together montages help give us a glimpse into how widespread the usage of Helvetica is while keeping us engaged. The film is most enhanced however, by it's subjects. The film perfectly and quietly transitions from interviews with the masters of graphic design to the students that read about them in their textbooks in school and go so far as to mention them by name. This lends an heir of legitimacy to the film, as well as making all of the opinions stand out even more.
     Ultimately Helvetica works as well as it does because it somehow manages to give us hope and inspiration by the time the credits come on screen; the world is ours to design. Helvetica may be the typeface of Socialism or it may be the epitome of graphic design, either way the point is moot, Helvetica is one of sharpest tools we have yet it's ultimate brilliance is in how we employ it.