While Easy Rider (1969) wasn’t the first counterculture film ever made, it was a benchmark work of cinema that had a special resonance with audiences of it’s era. It struck a vital nerve with the 60s generation and the eclectic rock music chosen by Director Dennis Hopper was a very important part of the structure and atmosphere of the film as well. It conveyed as many political and social views as the movie did. The blazing opening credits featuring the song “Born To Be Wild” by the rock band Steppenwolf has become a touchstone that when heard today transports us back to that open road where Peter Fonda’s Captain America and Dennis Hopper’s Billy took off into the horizon to find freedom.
