Many believe that an amazing movie requires a huge budget but in cinema history, there are plenty of low-budget movies that became big blockbusters.
There is a misconception that expense equals quality and a huge budget means an amazing movie but it’s not true. The success of a film is not necessarily connected to how much it cost.
Of course, we can’t deny the importance of money because it can always help add production value. While a massive budget is extremely helpful, the amazing movies that are low-budget demonstrate that the most important thing in filmmaking is passion and determination. Some filmmakers had a great script and a vision, but they didn’t have the funds. Nevertheless, they made it work.
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#1 Taxi Driver: $2 million
Source: Prime Video
Martin Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era in the 1970s and 1980s decades, having directed some of the greatest films of all time. One of them is “Taxi Driver”, which depicted a Vietnam veteran working as a taxi driver late at night in New York City. Although the film’s budget was $2 million, the gritty and raw-looking film feels like a documentary given how realistic some scenes feel. The success of the movie inspired the next wave of filmmakers to make their own version of this iconic film.
#2 Whiplash: $3.3 million
Source: Daniel McFadden / Sony Pictures Classics / Everett
“Whiplash” was a massive hit, directed by Damien Chazelle, following the relationship between a drummer and his ruthless jazz instructor. The movie is beautifully simplistic, from the story to its cinematography. It was full of warm orange and yellow hues contrasted with cool blue and green tones. So, many were surprised that its budget was $3.3 million.
#3 The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly: $1.2 million
Source: IMDb
“The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly” follows three gunslingers competing to find a fortune of Confederate gold amid the violent chaos of the American Civil War. The film featured long-drawn sweeping shots of beautiful landscapes and its suspense-building close-ups. Despite its $1.2 million, “The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly” become one of the most well-known and iconic Western films of all time.
#4 The Blair Witch Project: $60,000
Source: Time Out
“The Blair Witch Project”, a fictional story of three student filmmakers hiking into the Black Hills, is one of the most successful independent films of all time. It grossed nearly $250 million worldwide while its budget was $60,000.
#5 Little Miss Sunshine: $8 million
Source: Pinterest
We can’t forget “Little Miss Sunshine” which blew up big time. It received 4 Oscar nominations and two wins. It earned $100.5 million worldwide, including $59,9 million domestic so many were shocked that its budget was $8 million.
#6 My Big Fat Greek Wedding: $5 million
Source: Alamy
“My Big Fat Greek Wedding”, a 5-million-dollar movie turned into a 368,7-million-one After 20 weeks in the theater, the movie ranked in the No.2 spot, grabbing huge attention. It was also nominated for Best Pictures at the Golden Globes.
#7 Friday the 13th: $550,000
Source: Paramount
"Friday the 13th" was created with a budget of $550,000 and ended up grossing $ 92,7 million. The movie was made in 1980 and became the highest-grossing horror franchise in the world until a new Halloween was released in 2018.
#8 Mad Max: $300,000
Source: Kennedy Miller Productions
It was a surprise that Mad Maw which has received critical acclaim was made with a mere $300,000. The movie once set the Guinness World Record for Most Profitable when earning $378,9 million worldwide.
#9 Star Wars: $11 million
Source: Everett Collection
Star Wars was the highest-grossing film of all time until Steven Spielberg's E.T. Despite being made with only $11 million, it brought in a staggering $775,4 million.
#10 Rocky: $1 million
Source: The play list
Released in 1976, "Rocky" cost a little over $1 million but ended up earning $225 million.
Rocky was critically acclaimed and held the post as the highest-grossing movie of 1976 and second-highest of 1977, just after "Star Wars".
#11 Pulp Fiction: $8 million
Source: Miramax Courtesy Everett
The movie starred John Travolta, SamuelL. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Tim Roth, Ving Rhames, and Uma Thurman, so it's no wonder why the film did so well in theaters. Released in 1994, it has remained a cultural phenomenon and has become one of the biggest names in Hollywood. For its popularity, the movie received many prestigious a Palme d'Or Award at Cannes, an Academy Award, an Oscar, and seven Oscar nominations.