User Reviews

A Pragmatic Philosophy of "Less, but Better" and the Stark Beauty of Utility250419 (1.7)"Less, but better" is a form of pragmatism highly efficient for modernization. Yet, one can’t help but wonder if it is truly so bad for humans to enjoy a beauty that transcends being mere tools used by the Earth. This documentary follows Dieter Rams, the legendary industrial designer who embodied this philosophy. Born in 1932, Rams studied architecture during the transformative 1950s in Germany before joining Braun. Alongside the Erwin Braun brothers and designers from the Ulm School of Design, he revolutionized household appliances, becoming the star designer "Mr. Braun." After Braun was acquired by Gillette and its design philosophy began to erode, he left in 1997 to focus on his furniture company with Niels Vitsœ. Notably, he remains a pivotal role model for modern tech giants like **** film outlines his famous "Ten Principles for Good Design," emphasizing that products must be innovative, useful, aesthetic, understandable, unobtrusive, honest, long-lasting, thorough, environmentally friendly, and—crucially—involve as little design as possible. As someone who has worked in the electronics industry, many of these engineering-focused points feel familiar, making me wonder if he pioneered these theories or simply gave a voice to what should be natural. Rams’ resentment toward constant design changes for the sake of marketing resonates deeply, especially his disdain for "CI" (Cost Innovation) executives. He views such tactics as deceptive to both the brand and the customer. While he is a strict pragmatist who dislikes "experimental" or "artistic" furniture as useless confusion, his personal life reflects a more organic influence, such as his love for Japanese bonsai. Ultimately, he advises students not to trust their teachers blindly—a fitting final note from a man who redefined the world by questioning everything unnecessary.

A good one-hour take into Dieter Rams's design philosophy with a few historical nuggets for people like me who have only heard of Dieter Rams but not much exposed to his design, his products, and his style. The last 30 minutes derails but Rams the movie is nonetheless fantastic to look at. His house is beautiful. 7 stars.