Cheap Horror Flicks That Made Millions!

One advantage of horror films, as a film genre, lies in their ease of production for filmmakers, as some renowned horror flicks have been created on shoestring budgets. Contrasted with numerous other movies, horror films frequently manage to generate an extraordinary profit due to the built-in audience that’s eager to listen to novel ideas and concepts. In fact, several of the most influential horror movies ever made were produced with astonishingly minimal funds.

Horror films have a unique advantage when it comes to being cost-effective due to several factors. Firstly, creating an unsettling ambiance frequently benefits from the principle “less is more,” which lets viewers’ imaginations fill in the details as suspense escalates. Secondly, horror movies work well for productions with a limited range, often set in a single haunted location or featuring a solitary killer wearing a mask. These aspects make affordable yet impactful filmmaking possible.

10. The Blair Witch Project

Revolutionized an entire subgenre

The Blair Witch Project” is notable not just for its enormous earnings, but for how it dramatically transformed the found-footage horror subgenre. The movie tells the story of a band of unconventional documentary makers venturing to explore the enigmatic Blair Witch, a local legend about a witch believed to reside in the woods surrounding a town in Maryland. As they delve deeper into their investigation, they discover that the legend is more than just folklore, finding themselves disoriented in the forest, their mental stability deteriorating, and experiencing unsettling encounters with an unseen force.

The Blair Witch Project initially seemed authentic to many viewers following its release, and it’s not hard to understand why. Since the principal actors weren’t professional performers, their genuine fear in the woods at the hands of an unplanned horror scenario added a layer of credibility to their frightened responses. Additionally, the intentionally shaky camera work, blurry footage, and sparse woodland setting for most of the action made the film appear low-budget, costing just $60,000 to produce. Yet, despite its modest budget, it packed a powerful punch in terms of enduring popularity and influence.

9. The Evil Dead

Kicked off an iconic franchise

Among Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead series, it’s often the original film, named The Evil Dead, that gets less attention than it deserves. Despite its sequel serving as a more polished remake, this initial installment offers the first appearance of Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams, battling the terrifying Deadites. Unwittingly summoned from the netherworld by Ash and his girlfriend, these monsters wreak havoc in an unsettling display of gruesome horror.

In “The Evil Dead,” filmmaker Sam Raimi innovatively employed fast-paced, erratic camera work, mimicking the viewpoint of the Deadites, due to a lack of budget for additional special effects. With only around $500,000 to work with, Raimi skillfully utilized daring practical effects and gave opportunities to up-and-coming talent. Given the legendary franchise it launched, it’s clear that each penny was invested wisely.

8. Saw

Forged gold from its limitations

Sometimes, iconic horror films came into existence due to financial limitations they faced initially. For instance, the extensive Saw film series started with a single movie titled Saw, which paved the way for the infamous Jigsaw Killer to haunt audiences for years. The narrative revolves around two unlucky victims of this game master’s twisted games, who find themselves trapped in a bathroom and forced to perform horrific tasks to escape and live another day.

Mostly set within one room, the movie ‘Saw’ was primarily confined due to budget constraints, given it was produced for just over a million dollars. Despite seeming pricey, this budget allowed for the inclusion of well-known actors such as Danny Glover and Cary Elwes. Compared to later installments in the series, the initial film had limited resources to construct intricate traps. Nevertheless, ‘Saw’ managed to create a fresh breed of slasher villain while relying on its star power for most of its production costs.

7. The Night Of The Living Dead

Began the enduring zombie craze

Regardless of the shifting trends in horror genres, zombies have proven to be a timeless element. The shambling undead masses may fluctuate in appeal, but they consistently resurface in various forms within our culture, defying complete irrelevance. This could be attributed to George A. Romero’s The Night of the Living Dead, a film often considered the original zombie movie that brought the decaying monsters we recognize today into the limelight.

The story revolves around a band of survivors who face an onslaught of zombies at their fortified home, establishing several enduring tropes beloved by fans of the undead. Made with only approximately $114,000 in 1968 (equivalent to almost a million today), its single setting, black-and-white filming, and slow tempo effectively complemented the budget constraints, making it a remarkable production for the narrative. Few horror movies have left as significant an impact on their budget compared to Night of the Living Dead.

6. Get Out

Proves that lean horror filmmaking isn’t a thing of the past

In an unprecedented move, “The Night of the Living Dead” boldly stepped across boundaries by starring an African American hero, yet it was Jordan Peele who truly redefined Black horror with his masterpiece, “Get Out.” Now, when people think of him, they primarily associate him with his chilling horror films. However, at the time of “Get Out’s” debut, Peele was still widely recognized for his hilarious work as one-half of the legendary comedy duo, “Key & Peele.” In this film, a young Black photographer finds himself in a suburban family’s luxurious home, uncovering a horrifying truth.

On a modest budget of approximately 4.5 million dollars, the blockbuster hit “Get Out” primarily relied on its exceptional direction, compelling script, and an underlying sense of intense horror as opposed to relying heavily on dramatic special effects or elaborate set pieces. Remarkably, Jordan Peele skillfully delivers these key components, a talent that he later showcased in his other horror productions. It’s difficult to imagine that films like “Sinners” and the remake of “Candyman” would have had an opportunity to emerge without the success of “Get Out“.

5. Halloween

Hard to match in terms of influence-per-dollar

In contrast to some horror movies that may be budget-friendly for big productions, none quite capture the spirit of resourceful filmmaking like John Carpenter’s “Halloween”. This film pioneered the iconic slasher franchise and introduced the chilling character of Michael Myers, a seemingly ordinary boy from a quiet suburban neighborhood who transforms into an unyielding, remorseless killer. Escaping from the mental institution where he was confined, Michael resumes his brutal rampage.

The influence of the original “Halloween” on popular culture is indisputable, as Michael Myers has become one of the most recognized masked slasher antagonists in cinema history. What makes this even more remarkable is that John Carpenter made the movie with a budget of only $300,000 – equivalent to around $1.2 million today when adjusted for inflation. With such a modest beginning, the film went on to earn over 70 million dollars worldwide and revolutionize the genre of slasher movies forever.

4. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Pushed the envelope with blood and guts

In the 70s, Halloween wasn’t the sole low-budget slasher film to create a significant cultural impression through its masked antagonist. Instead, we have The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which remains a terrifying horror classic that spawned numerous Texas Chainsaw sequels and adaptations. This movie follows a group of friends who encounter a family of murderous cannibals in rural Texas during an unfortunate road trip.

The graphic violence portrayed in “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” paved the way for other horror films to push boundaries, earning both controversy and praise, ensuring its enduring impact on popular culture. Produced on a budget of just $140,000 in 1973, which equates to about $700,000 today, it’s remarkable how well the film still holds up visually. The movie significantly refined slasher genre conventions that were only vaguely defined by earlier films, and its legacy of unsettling gore is noteworthy.

3. Paranormal Activity

Revitalized the haunted house

While The Blair Witch Project paved the way for the found-footage horror genre, it was Paranormal Activity that truly propelled it into the contemporary era. This chilling series revolves around a family who attempt to document inexplicable supernatural occurrences within their home using various cameras. Upon examining the footage, they realize their suspicions were well-founded.

On a surprisingly modest budget of $15,000, the movie “Paranormal Activity” has yielded an extraordinary influence among horror films, considering the impact per dollar spent. Not only did it give rise to numerous sequels, but it significantly influenced the aesthetic and style of every contemporary haunted house or found-footage horror film that followed. Its unique approach, featuring intentionally low-budget filmmaking techniques and a single primary location, lies in its cleverly economical screenplay.

2. Psycho

Gave birth to the modern slasher

Movies such as “Halloween” and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” significantly shaped the slasher movie genre on surprisingly low budgets, but they may well trace their origins back to “Psycho.” This classic film is arguably the most renowned work of suspense maestro Alfred Hitchcock. The story revolves around Norman Bates, who initially appears as a friendly, if slightly awkward, owner of his family’s hotel. However, it doesn’t take long for Norman to unveil a chilling penchant for killing young women, suggesting a profound psychosis rooted in his obsession with his mother.

It’s challenging to imagine the modern slasher genre without the groundbreaking impact of “Psycho”. The iconic shower scene has been echoed countless times since its debut, resonating deeply with viewers. Made on a budget of approximately $800,000 in 1960 (equivalent to around 7 million dollars today), this Hitchcock production was a bargain considering the film’s immense success. Not only did “Psycho” become Alfred Hitchcock’s highest-grossing feature, but it also solidified its status as a pop culture icon, making its production cost seem remarkably inexpensive in retrospect.

1. A Nightmare On Elm Street

Changed the rules on scary movies

The influence of the movie “A Nightmare on Elm Street” continues to be prominent in modern horror films, not only in slasher flicks but throughout the genre as well. In this film, we witness the emergence of another renowned slasher antagonist, Freddy Krueger, who was once a sexual predator and was brutally killed by a group of vengeful parents. However, Krueger manages to come back, terrorizing the dreams of a fresh group of high school students in his small hometown. He uses extraordinary supernatural abilities to hunt them in their sleep.

In every horror film that includes a distinctive feature in its villain, such as the sound-dependent monsters in “A Quiet Place” and the sexually transmitted curse in “It Follows”, the rules and eerie power of Freddy’s ability to invade dreams can still be traced. Moreover, “A Nightmare on Elm Street” left an indelible mark on movie production by serving as Johnny Depp’s initial leading role, paving the way for a prominent Hollywood actor’s career. It’s fascinating that such a low-budget horror film, costing just $1 million, managed to exert such a significant impact.

2025-04-30 01:32