Helvetica
(2007/Documentary/Graphics/Plexifilm Blu-ray)
Picture:
B Sound: B Extras: B- Film: B
One of
the best documentaries I have seen in a while, Gary Hustwit’s Helvetica (2007) is one of those films
that, once you start letting someone know about it, they become very interested
in it, then want to see it. We reviewed
this terrific project on DVD when Plexifilm issued it in 2007 and this is what
we had to say:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/6269/Helvetica+(2007/Documentary/Graph
Now,
Plexifilm has chosen to make it their first-ever Blu-ray release and though
they have so many good titles in their catalog, this was as strong a place as
any to begin.
Originating
on HD, I even had more fun the second time watching this here because the
graphics are clearer and tell so much of the story, making you realize why the
font and the graphics that accompanied it were such a revolution and are still
with us today. With the Blu-ray, you do
not have to work as hard to see the influence and fascination. It is easy to underestimate the things we
take for granted, but Helvetica gets
you to rethink the world we live in and how it affects us in the long run,
right down to how we talk to and at each other.
The 1080p
1.78 X 1 image may be a bit soft, but is much better than expected, as the anamorphically
enhanced 1.78 X 1 DVD was softer than expected.
Looks like I was correct in expecting Director of Photography Luke
Geissbuhler’s work to look better that the DVD was delivering. The case says this is in Dolby Digital, but
instead of the Dolby 2.0 Stereo we get on the DVD, we got PCM 5.1 which worked
much better and though an early song sounds rough, Kristian Dunn’s score and
the rest of the sound is improved overall.
The only extra from the DVD of a large set of extras interview segments
is repeated here, are all worth your time and featuring the many subjects we
meet throughout the program, are a plus.
Like the
BBC’s Planet Earth, this is the kind
of unique programming that is making Blu-ray so interesting and fun early
on. With Plexifilm’s catalog, I hope we
see more of these kinds of special interest releases soon.
- Nicholas Sheffo
