Low-budget movies are often seen as a compromise, needing more resources and the big-name talent of their more expensive counterparts.
However, these movies have proven time and time again that with a strong script and creative vision, a small budget can lead to genuinely incredible filmmaking. After someone asked Reddit for low-budget films that made the most of it, these are the top-voted movies.
1. Assault on Precinct 13 (2005)
Assault on Precinct 13 is an action thriller directed by Jean-Francois Richet and starring Ethan Hawke, Laurence Fishburne, John Leguizamo, and Maria Bello. The movie follows a group of officers and criminals trapped inside a police station under attack by a ruthless street gang. With a budget of $30 million, the film created an intense and suspenseful atmosphere.
2. Halloween (1978)
Halloween is a slasher film directed by John Carpenter and starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence, and P. J. Soles. The movie follows a mental patient, Michael Myers, who was committed to an asylum for murdering his babysitting teenage sister Judith on Halloween night when he was six.
Then, fifteen years later, he escapes and returns to Haddonfield, where he stalks a female babysitter and her friends while pursued by his psychiatrist. It had a budget of $300,000- $500,000 and grossed $70 million.
3. The Blair Witch Project (2016)
The Blair Witch Project is a found-footage horror film directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez. It stars Heather Donahue, Michael C. Williams, and Joshua Leonard.
It follows a group of college students venturing into Maryland’s Black Hills Forest to uncover the mysteries of the Blair Witch. With a budget of only $200,000–750,000, it made $248.6 million at the box office. The film created a sense of realism and dread.
4. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a British satire written and performed by the Monty Python comedy group. The Monty Python comedy club included Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, and Terry Jones. Monty Python and the Holy Grail marked the directorial for Gilliam and Jones. The movie is revered for poking fun at the legend of King Arthur.
5. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Night of the Living Dead is a horror film directed by George A. Romero and starring Duane Jones, Judith O’Dea, and Karl Hardman. The film depicts a situation where a collection of individuals finds themselves confined to a farmhouse, besieged by hordes of ravenous zombies. Despite having a relatively modest budget ranging from $114,000 to $125,000, the movie successfully created a feeling of terror and tension, ultimately grossing an impressive $30 million in box office revenue.
6. Friday (1995)
Friday is a comedy film directed by F. Gary Gray and starring Ice Cube, Chris Tucker, Nia Long, and John Witherspoon. In this movie, you’ll follow the tale of two pals as they embark on a memorable Friday adventure in the hood, facing a blend of hilarious and dangerous encounters.
With a budget of $3.5 million, this film achieved a commercial and critical triumph, raking in a remarkable $27.4 million box office. Over time, it has evolved into a beloved cult classic and even led to the creation of three sequels.
7. First Reformed (2017)
First Reformed is a drama film directed by Paul Schrader and starring Ethan Hawke, Amanda Seyfried, and Cedric the Entertainer. The movie follows the story of a former military chaplain who becomes the pastor of a small church in upstate New York and becomes increasingly radicalized as he faces a crisis of faith. $3.5 million and received critical acclaim while earning $3.9 million.
8. Saw (2004)
Saw is a horror film directed by James Wan and starring Cary Elwes, Leigh Whannell, and Danny Glover. The film traces the story of two individuals who become ensnared in a macabre contest of survival and mortality masterminded by a murderer known as “Jigsaw.” Its budget was $1.2 million. It made $103.9 million and became a cultural phenomenon, spawning several sequels and a franchise.
9. Coherence (2013)
Coherence is an independent science fiction film directed by James Ward Byrkit and starring Emily Baldoni, Maury Sterling, Nicholas Brendon, and Elizabeth Gracen.
The movie follows the story of eight friends who gather for a dinner party on the night a comet is passing overhead and soon find themselves in a mind-bending reality. The movie’s budget was $50,000, earned $102,617, and received positive reviews from critics.
10. Unsane (2018)
Unsane is a psychological horror film directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Claire Foy, Joshua Leonard, and Jay Pharoah. The movie follows the story of a young woman committed to a mental institution against her will, only to discover that the hospital staff and patients may be more dangerous than she initially thought. The budget for Unsane was $1.5 million, and it earned $14.3 million at the box office.
Source: Reddit.
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