Top 5 Low-Budget Films of Exceptional Quality That Prove Art Isn't about Money
From action to horror to comedy, these five deserve your attention.
In 2024, we're used to seeing hundred-million-dollar movies that aren't often great, which just goes to show that money doesn't equal quality when it comes to art. If you're still not sold on this simple philosophy, here are five low-budget hits that will make you see the point.
El Mariachi (1992, 6.8 on IMDb)
Available on: Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video
Originally produced for $7,225, this classic neo-western from Robert Rodriguez proved so good that Columbia Pictures invested millions in post-production and distribution. The film follows the title character, a poor musician who arrives in a small Mexican town hoping to find work, only to find himself in the middle of a torrent of violence when the local drug cartel mistakes him for a hit man and attempts to kill him.
Coherence (2013, 7.2 on IMDb)
Available on: Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video
Reportedly produced for $50,000, this sci-fi psychological thriller centers on a group of eight friends who gather for dinner on the night of the passing of Miller's Comet. Their complicated histories make for a tense atmosphere when a power outage occurs, prompting the characters to venture outside in search of the problem. When they discover that only their house has no electricity, they return inside, where many surreal events begin to unfold.
The Evil Dead (1981, 7.4 on IMDb)
Available on: Amazon Prime Video
Sam Raimi's feature directorial debut revolves around a group of five college friends who go on vacation to a cabin in the woods. There, they stumble upon an audio tape that they play to their own detriment, releasing hordes of demons and evil spirits into the world. As four of the characters become possessed by the demons, the fifth must survive the ensuing carnage and chaos. The now classic horror was produced for $375,000.
Clerks (1994, 7.7 on IMDb)
Available on: Paramount+, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video
Recognized as culturally significant, this $27,575 black-and-white comedy by Kevin Smith follows two friends from New Jersey. Dante Hicks works as a retail clerk at a grocery store and is asked to fill in for his sick coworker on his day off, which seems boring but becomes more and more eventful. Luckily, Dante's best friend Randal, who works at the store next door, stops by and more mayhem ensues.
Reservoir Dogs (1992, 8.3 on IMDb)
Available on: Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video
Compared to the other four entries on the list, Quentin Tarantino's feature debut had a nice budget of $1.2 million, but it's still relatively low compared to the director's future projects. The movie follows eight gangsters who plan a perfect diamond heist despite barely knowing each other. Intended to go off without a hitch, the operation soon turns out to be more chaotic than planned, and the characters get involved in a bloodbath.