Helvetica

So last night, just after I tucked Secret Lulu in bed, I went to find Mr. Poppins. He was off in a corner playing scrabble on his iPhone. No surprise there. I did not hesitate to interrupt him. Also not a surprise.

I rattled off a couple of Netflix titles by way of coaxing him away from the scrabble but, apparently, he was not impressed. Instead he asked, "How about my Helvetica movie?"

Finally someone has cause to be surprised. And it must have shown on my face because Mr. Poppins felt the need to remind me that he had mentioned this movie to me as an option over the weekend. So I say, "Oh, I remember. But I thought you were joking."

Let's rewind a little.

On Friday, Mr. Poppins came home with a movie, maybe documentary is a better description, devoted entirely to the typeface Helvetica. Now you may be familiar, through the wonder that is the Word program with this typeface. Perhaps, you refer to it as a font. If that is the case, I suggest you desist with such reference immediately. I cannot be responsible for what Mr. Poppins will think of you.

Let me explain: there is a difference between typeface and font, just as there is a difference between the alphabet and written words. A typeface is the meta-level structure of the letters. A font is that meta-level structure reduced to a particular point size and iteration, such as bold, italic, light, or some other combination. This is all very designerly and there was a time when I didn't think it really mattered but, well, I've learned not to say that out loud.

Which brings us back to Mr. Poppins coming home with a documentary based entirely on a single typeface, albeit one that revolutionized the world in much the same completely ignorable way that, say, to borrow from the movie, off-white paint made traditional white walls more easy on the eyes. How, pray tell, will the director fill up the time?

Turns out that there's a lot to say about this particular typeface: little-known history, conflict, revolution, reinvention, and ideology. Sweet Pete, there's even a woman's studies angle. Okay, maybe I made that part up, but I do distinctly remember one designer blaming the typeface for the Vietnam war. And also the current war in Iraq.

I say this for true. Although to be fair, the designer was halfway joking. At least about the war in Iraq, maybe not so much about Vietnam.

And designers are warriors. I had no idea. But they are. They are on a crusade to stamp out ugliness in the world. Or to messy it up, depending on which school of thought the particular designer subscribes. The arguments are passionate, the f-bomb was dropped.  This Helvetica controversy is all far more complicated than I ever imagined, not that I ever imagined it, and--again with the surprise--surprisingly engaging.

I cannot say the same about the forced march of "The English Patient" that Mr. Poppins led me on in the early days of our relationship. Do you know that I seriously thought the title of the movie was  "The English, Patient"? Emphasis on the comma to underscore how much I thought the movie was about English people being long-sufferingly patient. Although, I have learned that this, too, really is better off not being said out loud at our house.

 

Comments

[Alice]

Do you ever play Scrabble with Mr Poppins? I hate Scrabble - because I always lose.

I honestly don't see the difference in the majority of typefaces - I really don't. They all look the same to me - oh, except for that wingdingbat thing - that's goofy.

[Nat]

Oooooooh. Does it make me a geek that I really liked that doc. (even though some the graphic design speak was beyond me.)

[The Dol]

I'm actually surprised, and I feel like I shouldn't be.

[loafingcactus]

That post amused me much, thanks! And I TOTALLY want to see that Helvetica movie now.

[Polly Poppins]

Alice, I have played Scrabble with Mr. Poppins and I hate it, not only because I always lose, because in my opinion that's not so bad because it means the game is over, but because I can't get my head around the idea of point strategy. I am always just trying to use as many of my letters as possible regardless of the point yield. And also, I like to be ready to play my letters immediately when it is my turn, whereas Mr. Poppins will ponder his letters--at length--and this is so boring I insist on using a timer to limit turns to three minutes, but then the pressure of the timer makes it so I am rendered almost incapable of making a decision about how to play my letters. Basically, my feeling is: screw scrabble, I'd rather play connect four.

Nat, you are a geek but I'm not sure you can lay the blame on this documentary. It did not occur to me until you mentioned it, but I totally got all the graphic design speak and even recognized some of the designers and their work. Now I feel smug.

Dol, I'm not sure which part surprised you but if I had to guess it would be that Mr. Poppins liked "The English Patient" although, I'm pretty certain that you wouldn't be surprised that I did not.

loafingcactus, happy to be of service.