Helvetica Sets Box Office Records

By Tim State in Arts & Entertainment on Dec 15, 2007 10:29PM

We’re big fans of the Helvetica Typeface here at Chicagoist. It’s everywhere here on our site. But we’re not sure about an 80-minute documentary, Helvetica, celebrating the typeface and it’s proliferation in society. The film is currently being screened at the Gene Siskel Film Center, now through the 20th.

2007 marks the 50th anniversary of the font, and the movie pieces together designers and fans of the font, who explain where the font came from and how it came to be so prevalent in our world. In fact, from the movie a conversation begins to emerge about the larger impact of type on our lives.

All the reviews indicate it’s an engaging flick. In fact, the movie originally premiered in Chicago last June and smashed (that’s smashed in helvetica italics, people) all Gene Siskel Film Center box office records.

Image via Gene Siskel Film Center.