Haven't seen it yet, but my guess is that it played a vital role in the 1960s/70s counterculture. A movie can get a lot of exposure and I am pretty sure that the ideals of the counterculture were brought to attention for a larger group of people because of this movie. From what I have heard it also is simply a darn good movie.

Like star Dennis Hopper's The Last Movie and even Blue Velvet, the film has a lot of weird stuff in it. It almost makes you feel like you're taking the LSD "trip" with the main characters (see above). It's quite a different experience.

@Invidia said:

It's also interesting to see how those who KILL THEM and make fun of them inside of the DINER are also the one's who placed the CURRENT POTUS into office.

DINER scene begins at the 1:50 TIME MARK with the SHEFIFF saying:

WHAT the HELL is this ... TROUBLE MAKERS:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F5zJTTj_QI

The IRONY of course is how it's the others who call them TROUBLE MAKERS who cause the MOST TROUBLE (by KILLING THEM or anyone else that isn't LIKE THEM).

So when you see the RECK NECK attack the BLACK GUY at the RACIST RALLY and punch him in the face (back when the POTUS was still running for office), one can also see how the MORE things change the MORE they also still stay pretty much the same.

Thanks for the angry political post, there are other discussion boards for you.

It's relevance lies mainly in the fact that it was a small budget independent movie that became very successful and was directed by a director that didn't went through the usual studio system .This movie together,with The Valley Of The Dolls and Midnight Cowboy became the voice of the counter culture of the 60's and early 70's. and also marked the ending of the old studio system in Holywood and was a precursor of the new generations of movie directors like Coppola,de Palma,Scorsese,Spielberg,Friedkin and the early Lucas who were beginning in the late 60's and early 70's (Spielberg's short film Amblin has similar themes) RIP Peter Fonda.

CAPTAIN AMERICA AND BILLY BOTH FINALLY MADE IT TO MEXICO....R . I .P . PETER AND DENNIS.

@tmdb78114298 said:

@Invidia said:

It's also interesting to see how those who KILL THEM and make fun of them inside of the DINER are also the one's who placed the CURRENT POTUS into office.

DINER scene begins at the 1:50 TIME MARK with the SHEFIFF saying:

WHAT the HELL is this ... TROUBLE MAKERS:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F5zJTTj_QI

The IRONY of course is how it's the others who call them TROUBLE MAKERS who cause the MOST TROUBLE (by KILLING THEM or anyone else that isn't LIKE THEM).

So when you see the RECK NECK attack the BLACK GUY at the RACIST RALLY and punch him in the face (back when the POTUS was still running for office), one can also see how the MORE things change the MORE they also still stay pretty much the same.

Thanks for the angry political post, there are other discussion boards for you.

I think you are projecting. I don't see this as an angry post; rather, I see it as recognizing/connecting social issues that were relevant then and remain relevant today. Surely, observing themes and seeing applications IRL is a part of the discourse, especially as it's likely what was in mind as the script was written, interpreted by the director, and depicted by the actors.