July 4th in Popular Culture

July 4^th marks the anniversary of the Independence of the United States of America. The holiday has since become the largest secular celebration in the United States and has formed customs ranging from barbecues to fireworks, with many others directly in between. The day and all that it stands for has also served as an inspiration in popular culture along with a day to host several events. In no particular order here's a list of July 4^th, Independence Day, in popular culture.

Born on the 4^th of July Serving as the second installment to Oliver Stone's Vietnam "trilogy," Born on the 4^th of July is the film adaptation of Ron Kovic's autobiography. It tells the story of Ron Kovic from childhood, through Vietnam and his becoming paralyzed and the subsequent events that lead to him becoming an anti-war activist. The title of the book (which the movie used exactly) comes from the fact that Kovic was born on July 4^th. Many see this as a cruel irony when compared to the Vietnam war and what happened to Kovic as a result of his service in the war.

Independence Day Less somber than the previous entry, Independence was the 1996 film that managed to gross over $800 million. Will Smith starred alongside Jeff Goldblum, Randy Quaid, Judd Hirsch, Vivica A. Fox and several others in what can be considered a star studded cast. The film was a summer blockbuster revolving around a hostile invasion of Earth by an Alien race and the subsequent struggle to reclaim control of the planet and expel the invaders.

1776 The title of a Broadway play and its film adaptation, 1776 tells the story of the events of the Continental Congress leading up to the signing of the declaration of independence in 1776. Though the play and film are both musical comedies, it remains extremely faithful to history, which has since become a rarity in film.