
“Every object tells a story if you know how to read it.” That’s a quote from Henry Ford. It’s also one way to sum up the movie I’m going to talk about today. As its name not so subtly suggests, Objectified is a documentary about objects. In its hour and fifteen minute runtime, the movie tackles quite a few subjects. What is design? Are all objects designed, even those seemingly commonplace things we use every day and take for granted? Is there a relationship between form and function? Is Apple not the coolest company on planet Earth?
Gary Hustwit, the man behind Helvetica, is the director and the producer. He lets his movie tell us its story from the mouths of other people. Through a series of interviews we see what goes into the design of handles, toothbrushes, dust bins and other assortments of odds and ends. This may seem a bit boring, and perhaps some people may say the same about this film, but I believe that those of us who enjoy exploring unfamiliar ideas or appreciate the origins of things and their evolution would disagree. Just to clarify, I’m one of those people who disagree. (more…)