The Top 5 Psychedelic Rock Movies of All Time
In this blog post, we’ll be counting down the top 5 psychedelic rock movies of all time. From classics like The Trip to more recent films like The Endless, there’s something for everyone on this list. So sit back, relax, and get ready to trip out!
The Trip (1967)
The Trip is a 1967 American underground film directed by Roger Corman and starring Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Susan Strasberg. The film is about an advertising executive who takes an acid trip and has a series of bizarre hallucinations. The Trip was one of the first films to explore the use of psychedelic drugs in a serious way, and it is considered one of the most important films of the 1960s counterculture movement.
Psych-Out (1968)
Psych-Out is a 1968 American counterculture film directed by Richard Rush and starring Susan Strasberg, Jack Nicholson, Dean Stockwell, and Bruce Dern. The film tells the story of a young woman (Strasberg) who runs away from home to join a psychedelic rock band in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district, only to find herself in the midst of a murder mystery. The film was released shortly after the Summer of Love and was one of the first films to be set in the hippie subculture.
In addition to being one of the first films to deal with the hippie subculture, Psych-Out is also notable for its use of psychedelic rock music. The film features an early performance by Strawberry Alarm Clock, as well as tracks by The Seeds, The Electric Prunes, and Buffalo Springfield.
Head (1968)
This is the story of a headless horseman who terrorizes a small town. The townspeople are terrified of the horseman and his ability to kill without a head. The film is shot in a very psychedelic style and features some amazing rock music.
Easy Rider (1969)
This classic film about two hippies (played by Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper) road-tripping across America was ground-breaking in its day for its symbolically charged exploration of the country’s social and political divide. The film’s soundtrack, which featured music by The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix and Steppenwolf, further bolstered its countercultural credentials.
Performance (1970)
5. Performance (1970)
Performance is a mind-bending, uncompromising look at the dark side of celebrity and the price of fame. This British cult classic stars James Fox as a London gangster who goes into hiding with a reclusive rockstar (Mick Jagger) in his Notting Hill home. The two men develop a close bond as they escape the outside world, but their sanctuary quickly becomes a prison as reality and hallucination begin to blur.
Directed by Nicolas Roeg and starring some of the most iconic musicians and actors of their generation, Performance is a one-of-a-kind film that hauntingly captures the excesses of the 1960s. With its mix of crime, sex, violence, and psychedelia, it’s no wonder this film has been cited as an influence by everyone from Martin Scorsese to David Bowie.
