I would compare it to using a scrunchie.
Imagine, if you will, that you’re watching the Academy Awards. Beautiful celebrities are arriving each minute and you’re glued to your TV. The live E! announcers are chatting it up with each celebrity, as their co-workers sit in the studio discussing this year’s fashion hits and misses.
Enter Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt on the red carpet. Angelina is wearing an absolutely stunning one-of-a-kind gown, the work of the most sought-after fashion designer in the world. It was made for her body and it’s immediately obvious she’ll be on the front of People magazine as the main “hit” this year. The gown is accented by over one million dollars worth of jewels, and her make-up is flawless. And then as she turns around, you notice… her hair is pulled into a ponytail with a scrunchie! WTH?!?!
THAT is how I felt when I watched Avatar 3D yesterday and noticed they used PAPYRUS in the subtitles. (I suppose it could have been worse. They could have used COMIC SANS.) In a movie with a reported $310 million budget and impeccable attention to detail, how on earth did they commit such a font faux pas? I wouldn’t say it ruined the movie for me. The film was indeed epic and I loved it. I would definitely recommend you all see it in 3D while it’s still in theaters. But that dang papyrus sure was distracting. Someone please tell me it was used as a joke. A very bad, not-by-any-stretch-of-the-imagination-funny joke.
Oh, by the way, if you feel the same way, this open letter to James Cameron will likely make you laugh (especially my friends Sam and Leah). Incidentally, Sam has some valuable thoughts to share regarding font use, etc.
That’s funny. I can be pretty passionate about typography and it often takes me way too long to choose a font for a project/design. It drives me nuts to see fonts used in a bad way on signs or advertising or even invites.
font snob!
Papyrus – FAIL! Tisk, tisk James Cameron!