When it comes to the film industry, a bigger production budget doesn’t always guarantee a hit. In fact, there are many classic movies (and by classic we mean films that came out before the year 2000) that were made for less than $5 million and went on to earn big profits, have numerous sequels, win Academy Awards, become adored by audiences and launch the careers of some of today’s most acclaimed performers and directors.
Want to learn more? Now that we’ve given you the trailer, grab some popcorn, and let’s watch (OK, read about) the best classic movies with the smallest budgets, ranked by awesomeness.
30. Night of the Living Dead
Director: George Romero
Year released: 1968
Budget: $110,000
Box office earnings: $30 million
When director George Romero unleashed a graphic horror movie about flesh-eating zombies, audiences were shocked and a little grossed out, but that didn’t stop them from pouring into movie theaters like, well, zombies. Based on the success of his movie, Romero became the godfather of the zombie genre and made several highly successful sequels like “Dawn of the Dead” and “Day of the Dead.” He also inspired more modern zombie-plague movies and television shows like “28 Days Later” and “The Walking Dead.”
29. The Warriors
Director: Walter Hill
Year released: 1979
Budget: $4 million
Box office earnings: $22 million
Based on Sol Yurick’s graphic novel (which was adapted from an ancient Greek story), “The Warriors” is a low-budget action movie about New York street gangs that’s laughably bad and was universally panned by critics. Still, the movie attracted a cult following (hooray!) but also infamously caused vandalism and violence (boo!). Fun fact: The film’s famous line, “Warriors, come out and play” was actually improvised.
28. El Mariachi
Director: Robert Rodriguez
Year released: 1992
Budget: $7,000
Box office earnings: $2 million
A movie earning $2 million at the box office may not seem like a lot these days, but considering Robert Rodriguez created this indie masterpiece for only $7,000 (and reportedly had to work as a test subject for medical experiments to pay for it), we think it’s pretty special. Thankfully, Rodriguez's little film about a mariachi who is mistaken for a killer and chased down by a drug lord brought him a big amount of success. He’d go on to direct Hollywood hits like “Desperado,” “From Dusk Till Dawn” and “Once Upon a Time in Mexico.” And no further medical experiments were required.
27. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Director: Mel Stuart
Year released: 1971
Budget: $3 million
Box office earnings: $4 million
Though this movie only earned $1 million more than it cost to make, you don’t need to be serenaded by the Oompa Loompas to understand how Gene Wilder’s Willy Wonka captured the hearts of children everywhere. Many of us grew up dreaming of the day we’d find our own golden ticket and get a taste of the chocolate factory. Years later we’d get a big-budget remake, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” but it lacked the sweetness and pure imagination of the original film. Yet another example of how money can’t buy taste!
26. Clerks
Director: Kevin Smith
Year released: 1996
Budget: $27,000
Box office earnings: $3.9 million
Low on budget but high on comedy, hijinks and “Star War”s trivia, “Clerks” brought out the inner slacker in all of us. Who wouldn’t want to leave their job and go play hockey on a roof? With a hilarious script and stylish black-and-white filming, the movie launched the career of writer-director Kevin Smith and spawned a sequel (“Clerks II”) and spin-off (“Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back”).
25. Rosemary’s Baby
Director: Roman Polanski
Year released: 1968
Budget: $3.2 million
Box office earnings: $33 million
It sorta makes sense that this creepy movie developed a cult following since it portrays a Satanic cult with devilish intentions. Based on the novel by Ira Levin, “Rosemary’s Baby” reinvented the horror genre and featured remarkable performances from Mia Farrow, whose pixie haircut was a bright spot in this very dark film, and Ruth Gordon, who won an Oscar for her deliciously demonic turn as a Lucifer loyalist.
24. Sex, Lies and Videotape
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Year released: 1989
Budget: $1.2 million
Box office earnings: $36.7 million
Writer-director Steven Soderbergh’s debut was a doozy. Starring Andie MacDowell, Peter Gallagher, Laura San Giacamo and James Spader, this unsettling film’s clever examination of relationships, infidelity, deep desires and secret obsessions (including videotaping people’s intimate confessions) made it an instant cult classic. The movie won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and created a new wave of indie filmmaking.
23. The Evil Dead
Director: Sam Raimi
Year released: 1981
Budget: $400,000
Box office earnings: $29.4 million
Little money delivered big scares in this horror classic written and directed by Sam Raimi. The movie is about a group of friends who accidentally summon an evil spirit that sets out to murder them, and it made a killing at the box office and garnered a huge cult following. With numerous sequels, reboots and even a stage musical, “The Evil Dead” continues to be very much alive.
22. Mad Max
Director: George Miller
Year released: 1979
Budget: $300,000
Box office earnings: $8.7 million
Starring a relatively unknown Mel Gibson, “Mad Max” is an Australian action drama about a policeman fighting for justice and personal vengeance against a menacing motorcycle gang. Americans didn’t exactly go mad for the movie, but it was a hit around the world and resulted in additional movies, including “The Road Warrior” and “Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome,” which featured Tina Turner and gave us the iconic song, “We Don’t Need Another Hero.” However, in 2015, we did get another Mad Max hero: Charlize Theron in "Mad Max: Fury Road."
21. Friday
Director: F. Gary Gray
Year released: 1995
Budget: $3.5 million
Box office earnings: $27.4 million
Poor Craig (Ice Cube) is having the worst day. He’s just been fired, and now he has to help his best friend find $200 to pay back a drug dealer or suffer the consequences. Crass but charming, "Friday" is one of the funniest movies of the 1990s and developed a big cult following. Combined with sequels, “Next Friday” and “Friday After Next,” the franchise earned almost $120 million at the worldwide box office and cost about $23 million to make, so things definitely looked up for Craig after all.
20. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Director: Tobe Hooper
Year Released: 1974
Budget: $60,000
Box office: $30.8 million
One of the most terrifying films in cinematic history, “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” is the kind of movie that a lot of us have to watch with our eyes covered. Still, it developed a big cult following and became a standard-bearer for the horror film genre. Perhaps even more disturbing than the movie were the filming conditions. The cast and crew spent long days in Texas during the summer, dealing with unbearable heat, only one working bathroom and several bodily injuries, which caused numerous mental breakdowns. Despite the movie’s clever marketing of “what you’re about to see is true,” the movie is (thankfully) fiction.
19. Goldfinger
Director: Guy Hamilton
Year released: 1964
Budget: $3 million
Box office earnings: $51 million
With all their stunts and scenery, it’s hard to believe a Bond movie would only cost $3 million (though, if adjusted for inflation that’d be about $80 million today). The third Bond film to be made, “Goldfinger” starred the debonair Sean Connery and gave us iconic lines like “No, Bond I expect you to die” and unforgettable characters like Pussy Galore. It struck gold at the box office and continues to be widely praised as one of the best Bond movies of all time.
18. Swingers
Director: Doug Liman
Year released: 1996
Budget: $200,000
Box office earnings: $4.6 million
“You’re so money, and you don’t even know it,” one friend says to another in "Swingers." Turns out, he was talking about the movie itself, which no one expected to be such a sleeper hit. The story of struggling actors facing even tougher dating challenges in Los Angeles, “Swingers” is a small-budget movie with a ton of heart. Featuring an all-star cast including Jon Favreau (who also wrote the film), Vince Vaughn and Heather Graham, the film made us want to call everything “money” and wait three days before calling someone after a date.
17. National Lampoon’s Animal House
Director: John Landis
Year released: 1978
Budget: $3 million
Box office earnings: $141.6 million
Famous for toga parties, frat-boy humor and college hijinks, “Animal House” is a comedy classic that had audiences rolling in the aisles and producers laughing all the way to the bank. Thanks to its success, “National Lampoon” made other popular comedies like the “Vacation” series. There was also a television spin-off called “Delta House,” which featured some of the cast and a little-known actress named Michelle Pfieffer. Unfortunately, the show was a flop and was quickly canceled.
16. Carrie
Director: Brian DePalma
Year released: 1976
Budget: $1.8 million
Box office earnings: $33.8 million
Forty-five years after the movie came out, we’re still thinking about that infamous prom scene. This story, about a teenager who is bullied by classmates and her own mother who uses her telekinetic powers to exact deadly revenge, is nothing short of spine-tingling. Both sad and scary at the same time, “Carrie” features an amazing performance by Sissy Spacek in the title role. It’s based on the novel by Stephen King, who was reportedly paid only $2,500 for the rights. Fun fact: It was also John Travolta’s film debut.
15. A Nightmare on Elm Street
Director: Wes Craven
Year released: 1984
Budget: $1.8 million
Box office earnings: $25 million
One of the scariest villains of all time, Freddy Kreuger terrorized teenagers in their sleep and gave moviegoers their own set of nightmares. Yet with a fresh take on the horror genre, larger-than-life life characters and some dark humor (plus a debuting hunk, Johnny Depp) “A Nightmare on Elm Street” clawed its way to the top of the box office. There were numerous sequels, books, a television show and other crossovers, so “1 … 2 ... Freddy did, in fact, come for you.”
14. Four Weddings and a Funeral
Director: Mike Newellund
Year released: 1994
Budget: $4.5 million
Box office earnings: $52.7 million
This popular British rom-com made Hugh Grant a household name in America and also features memorable performances from Kristin Scott Thomas and Andie MacDowell (making the list again!). Centering on the romantic ups and downs of a group of friends as they attend the events listed in the title, the movie was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Screenplay. Though the film’s title is quite catchy, some studio execs weren’t sold. Other suggestions included "Rolling in the Aisles" and "The Wedding Season."
13. Friday the 13th
Director: Sean S. Cunningham
Year released: 1980
Budget: $700,00
Box office earnings: $59.8 million
Sorry, we couldn’t resist putting this one in the unlucky 13th spot! Though panned by critics for being a cheesy knock-off of other horror films, audiences ran to theaters to see a killer menace teens at Camp Crystal Lake. It was the beginning of an 11-movie franchise, video games and other merchandise that made millions over the years. Though the series is most notable for Jason Voorhees, he didn’t do the killing until the second movie — and his iconic hockey mask didn’t appear until the third.
12. Annie Hall
Director: Woody Allen
Year released: 1977
Budget: $4 million
Box office earnings: $38 million
Thanks to a breakout performance from Diane Keaton and a whip-smart script, “Annie Hall” reinvented the romantic comedy. It took home four Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Lead Actress. Though audiences fell in love with "Annie Hall," imagine how less popular the movie might have been if it was released with Woody Allen’s original title, "Anhedonia," a psychiatric term relating to a person’s inability to feel joy.
11. She's Gotta Have It
Director: Spike Lee
Year released: 1986
Budget: $175,000
Box office earnings: $7.1 million
The debut film from writer-director Spike Lee focuses on a woman named Nora who is dating three different men while trying to figure out how to stay true to her wants, needs and identity. Shot over 12 days and entirely in black and white, this low-budget gem introduced the world to a super-talented filmmaker who’d go on to make movies like “Do The Right Thing” and “BlacKkKlansman,” for which he won an Academy Award for Best Screenplay.
10. Taxi Driver
Director: Martin Scorcese
Year released: 1976
Budget: $1.8 million
Box office earnings: $28.4 million
“You Talkin to Me?” Martin Scorcese’s gritty New York street drama is about a disturbed Taxi driver (Robert Deniro, in one of his most iconic performances) who becomes obsessed with cleaning up the world. His plans are a bit all over the place — he wants to assassinate a presidential candidate and save a 12-year-old prostitute (Jodie Foster, in a star-making role), but the film is one of the most critically acclaimed low-budget movies in history. It made almost 15 times its budget at the box office and is widely considered to be one of Scorsese’s best.
9. My Left Foot
Director: Jim Sheridan
Year released: 1989
Budget: $600,000
Box office earnings: $14.7 million
Featuring celebrated actors Daniel Day-Lewis and Brenda Flicker, who both won Academy Awards for their performances, this stirring movie is based on the life of Christy Brown, a boy with cerebral palsy who learns how to use his left foot and grows up to become a painter and poet. Told with empathy, emotion and humor, “My Left Foot” received universal acclaim from critics and is another example of how filmmakers don’t need to spend big bucks to connect with audiences.
8. Young Frankenstein
Director: Mel Brooks
Year released: 1974
Budget: $2.8 million
Box office earnings: $86 million
Gene Wilder makes the list again, this time for his turn as the determined (if often misguided) Dr. Frankenstein. This Mel Brooks classic also features comedy greats Cloris Leachman, Teri Garr, Madeline Kahn and Peter Boyle and is one of the funniest movies ever made. Just try and watch their performance of “Putting on the Ritz” without doubling over with laughter. Like Frankenstein’s monster, the movie leaves us in stitches.
7. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Director: Milos Forman
Year released: 1975
Budget: $3 million
Box office earnings: $108 million
Based on the book by Ken Kesey, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” is a riveting look at the flaws in America’s mental health system. It swept the Academy Awards in most of the major categories, winning for Best Film, Director, Actress, Actor and Screenplay, and is consistently ranked as one of the best films ever made. It also features some of the greatest performances in movie history, including an unhinged Jack Nicholson, who went on to be a Hollywood megastar and ice-cold Louise Fletcher as the iconic Nurse Ratched.
6. American Graffiti
Director: George Lucas
Year released: 1973
Budget: $750,000
Box office earnings: $115 million
Before he brought audiences to a “galaxy far, far away,” George Lucas co-wrote and directed this coming-of-age drama set in 1962 that starred Richard Dreyfuss, plus young actors Harrison Ford and Ron Howard. Audiences ate up the nostalgia, critics raved, and the film was nominated for five Academy Awards. The soundtrack was also very popular, selling 3 million copies. Contrary to popular belief, “American Graffiti” was not the inspiration for "Happy Days," which took place in the 1950s.
5. Halloween
Director: John Carpenter
Year released: 1978
Budget: $325,000
Box office earnings: $47.2 million
Michael Myers has come back from the grave more times than we can count, but with “Halloween’s” continued popularity, he may never be fully put to rest. Sorry, Laurie Strode! While expectations were pretty low when the first film came out in 1976, the story of a psychotic masked man — which was actually a $2 Captain Kirk mask spray-painted white — going on a killing spree and the young babysitter determined to stop him quickly became a cult classic. It was followed up with 11 more films and counting (including remakes by Rob Zombie) that have earned over $560 million at the box office, making Halloween one of the most successful horror movie franchises of all time.
4. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Director: Jim Sharman
Year Release: 1975
Budget: $1.4 million
Box office earnings: $226 million
Is there anyone in the universe that doesn’t know how to do the “Time Warp?” Since its release in 1975, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” has amassed one of the biggest cult followings in movie history. Though universally panned by critics, “Rocky Horror” developed its dedicated audience during midnight showings in New York’s Waverly Theater, where theatergoers were encouraged to interact with the movie. Today, tons of theaters screen the movie around the country, and attendees are encouraged to keep dressing up, yelling at the screen, dancing and throwing toast. If you’ve never been, there’s an official guide and a slew of fan suggestions. Let’s Do The Time Warp Again!
3. The Full Monty
Director: Peter Cattaneo
Year released: 1997
Budget: $3.5 million
Box office earnings: $257 million
How does a group of steel mill workers earn a buck after losing their jobs? By forming a Chippendales-style striptease act and vowing to get totally naked on stage, of course. This cheeky plot device resulted in moviegoers throwing millions of dollars at the men on screen, and “The Full Monty” became one of the most beloved British comedies of all time. The film was also nominated for four Academy Awards and adapted into a hit Broadway musical.
2. The Blair Witch Project
Directors: Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez
Year released: 1999
Budget: $200,000
Box office earnings: $249 million
Who knew a shaky camera and a spooky story would find so much love? Though, this filmmaking style wasn’t for everyone: Some moviegoers got physically sick, while others believed they were watching real footage. Still, “The Blair Witch Project” is one of the most successful indie films ever made. It inspired a bunch of knock-offs and a sequel, which received way less love and was considered a cash grab. If only that footage was lost.
1. Rocky
Director: John G. Avildsen
Year released: 1976
Budget: $1.1 million
Box office earnings: $225 million
Though the Italian Stallion lost his first big match with Apollo Creed, Rocky came out a huge winner. A knockout at the box office, the sports drama won an Academy Award for Best Picture, spawned an eight-film (and counting) franchise and made hordes of people run up the steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art while singing “Eye of the Tiger” or humming “Gonna Fly Now.” Decades later, America still can’t get enough of the lovable underdog.