This month’s screening at the Revival House will celebrate the cult classic “Office Space,” at 7 p.m., Thursday, June 20, at the Milton Theatre.
Since its release 20 years ago, “Office Space” has become a much-beloved comedy, tackling cubicle life and chain restaurants, servers, staplers and, of course Michael Bolton.
Starring Jennifer Aniston, Ron Livingston, Stephen Root and Gary Cole, the film marked the live-action movie debut of “Beavis and Butt-head” creator Mike Judge, and has become the ultimate cinematic underdog.
The film focuses on a trio of young employees at a software company who cannot stand their jobs and their middle-level boss. Jim (played by Livingston) tries to cope by visiting a hypnotherapist who puts him in a constant state of ecstasy, allowing him to approach the job with a whole new attitude. He is no longer bothered by his nagging boss (played by Cole) passive-aggressively asking for TPS Reports, or obnoxious, over-sharing co-workers. He begins to embark on a cubicle-free path to enlightenment that serves as inspiration for fellow workers and his new lady friend Joanna (played by Aniston), who works at a neighborhood chain restaurant Chotchkie's.
The film was a bust in its initial release, but in the years since has gone on to gain cult status with fans who found countless workplace similarities to their own lives, along with its seemingly endless stream of quotable lines. It has become one of the best-selling DVDs of the Fox library, with over 6 million sold.
The film also had a cultural impact, since TGI Friday’s, the restaurant on which the fictional Chotchkie’s was based, no longer required its staff to wear personalized buttons, or “flair” as noted in the film. Swingline, the stapler manufacturer, even decided to bring back its red model due to overwhelming requests from fans of the film.
The Revival House will award prizes to those wearing the most interesting flair to the June 20 screening. Ticket are $10 general admission, or $5 for students and seniors. Doors open at 6 p.m. For more information or to order tickets in advance, go to www.revivialhousetheater.com or www.miltontheatre.com.