For every movie that went over budget—like say, some expensive blockbusters—there are movies that stick to its shoestring budget resources and yet succeeded hugely in the box office. It goes to show, that no matter what the budget is, as long as the cast and creators are able to pull off a good story, curious audiences will get invested in it.
In light of that, it is time to honor those movies that had a budget of below a million dollars and profited exceedingly on their theatrical runs. Here are the top 10 movies that came in way under budget.
Halloween (1978)
Before Director John Carpenter came in with a budget of around $300,000–325,000 and produced a cautionary tale about a group of teenage girls being targeted by a figure known as Michael Myers.
Its success came from word-of-mouth response, making it one of the most profitable independent films of all time. To this day, it is one of the best slasher films.
American Graffiti (1973)
Before George Lucas helmed American Graffiti. The then-space opera honcho is inspired by his youthful 60s rock and roll scene that he best captured the atmosphere of that period.
Under a budget of $777,000, this film is set on a series of vignettes during one single night about a group of teenagers. With that premise, it became a critical success and a career launcher for Harrison Ford.
El Mariachi (1992)
Robert Rodriguez is known to be a hands-on director who also takes up roles in screenwriting, cinematography, editing, and the musical score. His career easily propelled with El Mariachi, a low-budgeted Western about a young musician from a traveling mariachi band who was mistaken for a criminal. Now, he must defend himself at all costs.
Rodriguez started with a budget of $7225 that still prompted him to cut more costs. Fortunately, Columbia Pictures bought the distribution rights for $200,000, leading it to gross healthy $2 million.
Open Water (2003)
Open Water is a horror film that is based on the case of Tom and Eileen Lonergan, who went missing on exposed waters over the Great Barrier Reef in 1998. This film follows the same beats, only to have the focal American couple having to contend with a school of sharks and jellyfish.
It is impressive how this film used a budget of around $120,000-500,000 and effectively used a live sharks and Atlantic waters to bring this story to life, resulting to $55.5 million gross.
Once (2007)
From director John Carney, Once is a drama film about the ambiguously romantic interactions between a lonesome Dubliner busker—referred to as “Guy”—and a Czech flower seller—referred to as “Girl”. Their bonding is centered on their love for music.
Under a shoestring budget of $150,000, the film gained tremendous acclaim and box office returns, earning around $23 million, and it also won an Oscar for its signature song “Falling Slowly” for both Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová. This is such a feel-good film.
Mad Max (1979)
Australian cinema would not be complete without Max Rockatansky, played by Mel Gibson, who must outwit an entire motorbike gang.
It is impressive how director George Miller was able to craft intricate chase sequences and post-apocalyptic sets under a short budget in the Australian outback. The end result is a timeless dystopian action that spawned off a solid franchise and started the careers of Gibson and Miller.
Clerks (1994)
Clerks is one of the pioneers of the independent cinema boom from the first half of the 1990s. Kevin Smith directed and co-produced this film under a $27,575 budget, and the movie was filmed in the convenience store and the video rental where Smith worked with a cast of unknowns.
Little did Smith know what success this would bring, enabling him to create cult hits under in the so-called View Askewniverse. As for the film itself, it grossed $3 million and was even preserved in the Library of Congress.
Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
Speaking of cult hits, there enters Napoleon Dynamite with his dorky persona and his jovial dance onstage. This film by Jared Huss tells the simple tale of the titular teenager (Jon Heder) as he deals with ing his friend Pedro (Efren Ramirez) on running for class president and with his problems back at home.
The success of this indie comedy hit comes from highlighting simple stories of small-town characters, and it clearly impacted audiences, grossing $46.1 million on a $400,000 budget.
The Blair Witch Project (1999)
The Blair Witch Project is the film responsible for not only reviving the found-footage format, but also for paving the way for dozens of similar horror movies. The horror film centers on a group of three student filmmakers who are shooting a documentary about the urban legend of the Blair Witch. Sooner, the three of them encounter its supernatural presence.
Filmed with a budget of $200,000 to $500,000, Blair Witch found success on its Sundance premiere and kicked off a viral marketing campaign that resulted in a $248.6 million gross.
Paranormal Activity (2009)
Segueing from there, Paranormal Activity would not be possible without the impact of The Blair Witch Project. Shot under a shoestring budget of $15,000, this horror film focuses on a young couple, played by Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat, who experience a supernatural presence that manifests every night. Paramount found potential in this film that it acquired the film with a $200,000 post-production budget.
The end result is a tremendous marketing ploy that told audiences to “demand the film to play in their cities” and a profitable horror franchise of over six films.
