Daniel Radcliffe, as Allen Ginsberg, tells story of Beat counterculture in 'Kill Your Darlings'

Daniel Radcliffe as Allen Ginsberg in "Kill Your Darlings," directed... — Daniel Radcliffe as Allen Ginsberg in "Kill Your Darlings," directed by John Krokidas. Credit: Sony Pictures Classic

By LEWIS BEALE. Special to NewsdayOctober 11, 2013

The Beat Generation will always be with us. The most recent proof of this comes in the form of "Kill Your Darlings," a film opening Wednesday about Allen Ginsberg's (Daniel Radcliffe) days at Columbia University, a time when he gets in touch with his sexuality and meets future icons Jack Kerouac (Jack Huston) and William Burroughs (Ben Foster).

"This movie is about the birth of an artist, Allen Ginsberg," says director John Krokidis. "The movie is about going to New York and having an adventure, showing the world you have your own unique voice."

But it's also about the Beats as counterculture warriors, revolting against a world they disdained. "They created a real vibrant counterculture movement, which led to the hippie movement, the punk rock movement, and later -- Kurt Cobain was working with William Burroughs in the '90s," says Krokidis. "They were not only rebels, but had something significant to say. What they were rebelling about hasn't changed; they were rebelling against an inauthentic life."

"Kill Your Darlings," of course, isn't the only film made about the Beats. Here are a few others.

PULL MY DAISY (1959) Short film written by Kerouac, featuring Ginsberg, Gregory Corso and other Beat luminaries.

THE SUBTERRANEANS (1960) Based on the Kerouac novel about an interracial romance, with Leslie Caron and George Peppard.

HEART BEAT (1980) Based on the bio of Carolyn Cassady, the tale of the friendship between her husband Neal (Nick Nolte) and Kerouac (John Heard). Ray Sharkey plays a character based on Ginsberg.