Successful Films That Had No Real Budget

Big hits sometimes come in small packages. Here’s a list of cheaply budgeted flicks that hit it big, some are responsible for rocketing filmmakers and actors into the limelight. Got any we missed? Post ‘em in the comments below!

Napoleon Dynamite

Budget: $400,000
Box office: $46,118,099

One of the most astonishingly effective low-budget pictures going to the large moment, Napoleon Dynamite started out like a movie festival infant and continued to restricted release before finally reaching wide release. As a cult following created, person to person spread about this amusing movie, and the rest is background.

Mad Max

Budget: $350,000-400,000
Box office: $100,000,000

Back in 1979, an unfamiliar actor named Mel Gibson starred in an Foreign film production called ‘Mad Max.’ Despite the film’s very small budget and fairly inexperienced team, it continued to become a top-grossing Foreign movie and created several sequels and a remake.

Night of the Living Dead

Budget: $114,000
Box office: $42 million

This 1968 horror movie was the 1st zombie movie around. Actually, the term ‘zombie’ didn’t also happen till next movie. With this film, a fresh supernatural beast was created; and many more zombie films quickly followed, due to the reputation.

Halloween

Budget: $325,000
Box office: $70 million

Jamie Lee Curtis created her feature film introduction in the 1978 movie ‘Halloween,’ a low-budget horror masterpiece that continued to become among the hottest horror franchises ever.

Clerks

Budget: $27,575
Box office: $3,151,130

When writer/director Kevin Jones went about making ‘Clerks,’ he needed to create some fairly serious sacrifices so as to purchase the movie:

• Dipped into his school finance
• Used insurance funds from dropping his vehicle in a ton
• Sold a big hunk of his witty book group
• Maxed out 8-10 $2,000 limit credit cards

Once

Budget: $160,000
Box office: $20,710,513

The small little movie that might, ‘Once’ is a Irish picture that transformed its small budget to be a success both locally and in The Usa. It was a crucial hit, getting excellent critiques and winning some key prizes:

• Independent Spirit Award for Best Foreign Film
• Academy Award for Best Original Song

The Evil Dead

Budget: $350,000-400,000
Box office: $29,400,000

Another picture show with an incredibly faithful cult following was leap started upon the launch of ‘The Evil Dead’ in 1981. The film has acquired a 100% favorable evaluation on RottenTomatoes.com, which is widely regarded as one of the best horror movies ever.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Budget: $5 million
Box office: $368,744,044

This Canadian-American sleeper had a reduced budget and similarly low expectations, but continued to become the highest-grossing romantic comedy ever. Contemplating it never reached number 1 in the box office throughout its period in cinemas, that was really a task to accomplish!

The Blair Witch Project

Budget: $500,000-750,000
Box office: $248,639,099

Widely viewed as one of the more successful low-budget pictures ever, ‘The Blair Witch Project’ became a social sensation upon its launch in 1999. Shooting only survived for ten times and was completely completed with hand-held video cameras, but word of an skillfully and mouth executed advertising effort brought to its achievement.

Paranormal Activity

Budget: $15,000
Box office: $193,355,800

Finally, the 2007 great terror movie ‘Paranormal Activity’ requires the cake as probably the most effective low budget picture ever. With a teeny – tiny budget and huge business and essential success, it is no surprise that the business has broadened to incorporate a apparently endless chain of sequels and prequels.