Minimum expense, maximum return. This is precisely the case when we examine these five films, which have become real points of reference in their respective genres. Five films that have made the history of cinema and in some cases have given rise to sagas that have been going on for several decades now.
Interceptors
In a few weeks we will see at the cinema an exponent of the saga born in 1982 with the first, timeless Interceptor. Mad Max: Furiosa, spin-off of Mad Max: Fury Road. Many do not know that the film starring Mel Gibson it cost less than 400 thousand dollars. A very low figure if you consider that at the time a production like ET – released in those years – cost 10.5 million dollars. It goes without saying that the first Interceptor was a timeless success, with revenues reaching and exceeding 100 million dollars. Figures that earned him a Guinness World Record for being the film with the highest capital gain in relation to costs and earnings.
The Blair Witch Project – The Mystery of the Blair Witch
Twenty years later, in 1999, it was one of the most famous horror films of the twentieth century that took the Guinness World Record from Interceptor. In this case the figure for production was truly negligible: 60,000 dollars, compared to a collection of 250 million dollars. Phenomenal numbers for what quickly became a horror film cult of those years. The choice to shoot the film in POV, giving the viewer the feeling of being the one filming the scenes with the camera, turned out to be a good one.
Moonlight
Remembered for being among the protagonists of the curtain at the 2017 Oscars, Moonlight has another interesting aspect that is worth analyzing, namely its production costs. For an expense equal to 1.5 million dollars, a very low figure by the standards of the time in which it was released, Barry Jenkins’ film grossed 65.3 million dollars at the box office. Not bad, especially if we consider that he collected 5 Oscar nominations, 5 Golden Globe nominations and 4 BAFTA awards, as well as 2 nominations for the SAG Awards. Among the awards he took home, the coveted statuette for best film of the year, best leading actor for a gigantic Mahershala Ali and best adapted screenplay for Barry Jenkins.
Paranormal Activity
The list of low budget horror films is long, but more than any other – Blair Witch aside – the film that has made headlines also due to its negligible production costs is Paranormal Activity. Released in 2010, it immediately established itself as one of the most talked about films of the year also due to its ridiculous production budget, equal to only 15,000 dollars. Yes, you read that right, fifteen thousand. And the proceeds? 194 million dollars. Not bad for a capital gain.
Rocky
We conclude this list of five low budget films with the one that more than any other represented an unexpected success. Rocky, the first of 1976, is considered to be among the most successful films in cinematic history. Almost fifty years after its release it is considered one of the best exponents of the sports film category and, no less, it was the launching pad for Sylvester Stallone’s career. But how much did each film belonging to the Rocky saga gross? The first film gave birth to a franchise that managed to raise over a billion dollars: an unexpected success that is still incredible today. Filmed in 28 days, the first Rocky cost around $1 million, with takings well over $200 million.
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Tags: budget films cinema history
