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The Best Low Budget Movies Of All-Time

“What are the best Low-Budget Films Ever Made?” We looked at 205 of the top Low Priced films and ranked them so we could answer that very question!

The top 25 films, all appearing on 3 or more “Best Low Budget” movie lists, are ranked below by how many times they appear. The remaining 175+ movies, as well as the sources we used, are in alphabetical order on the bottom of the page.

Happy Scrolling!



Top 25 Best Low Budget Movies



25 .) Another Earth (2011)

Another Earth (2011)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Bright Side
  • Den Of Geek
  • io9

On the night of the discovery of a duplicate Earth in the Solar system, an ambitious young student and an accomplished composer cross paths in a tragic accident.



24 .) Bronson (2008)

Bronson (2008)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Bright Side
  • Den Of Geek
  • The Cinemaholic

A young man who was sentenced to 7 years in prison for robbing a post office ends up spending 30 years in solitary confinement. During this time, his own personality is supplanted by his alter ego, Charles Bronson.



23 .) Friday The 13th

Friday The 13th

Lists It Appears On:

  • Cheat Sheet
  • Space
  • The Dissolve

Camp Crystal Lake has been shuttered for over 20 years due to several vicious and unsolved murders. The camp’s new owner and seven young counselors are readying the property for re-opening despite warnings of a “death curse” by local residents. The curse proves true on Friday the 13th as one by one each of the counselors is stalked by a violent killer.



22 .) Juno (2007)

Juno (2007)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Den Of Geek
  • Primer Magazine
  • The Culture Trip

A young girl named Juno gets herself pregnant and tries to stand on her own, but soon learns a few lessons about being grown up.



21 .) Kill List (2011)

Kill List (2011)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Den Of Geek
  • Horror Chill
  • The Cinemaholic

Nearly a year after a botched job, a hitman takes a new assignment with the promise of a big payoff for three killings. What starts off as an easy task soon unravels, sending the killer into the heart of darkness.



20 .) Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Alien Element
  • io9
  • Stranger Views

Three magazine employees head out on an assignment to interview a guy who placed a classified ad seeking a companion for time travel.



19 .) Saw (2004)

Saw (2004)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Den Of Geek
  • Goliath
  • Space

Obsessed with teaching his victims the value of life, a deranged, sadistic serial killer abducts the morally wayward. Once captured, they must face impossible choices in a horrific game of survival. The victims must fight to win their lives back, or die trying…



18 .) The Signal (2014)

The Signal (2014)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Alien Element
  • Forbes
  • io9

Three college students on a road trip across the Southwest experience a detour – the tracking of a computer genius who has already hacked into MIT and exposed security faults. When the trio find themselves drawn to an eerily isolated area, suddenly everything goes dark. When one of the students regains consciousness, he finds himself in a waking nightmare.



17 .) Brick (2005)

Brick (2005)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Bright Side
  • Den Of Geek
  • Rain Dance
  • The Cinemaholic

A teenage loner pushes his way into the underworld of a high school crime ring to investigate the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend.



16 .) Clerks (1994)

Clerks (1994)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goliath
  • Primer Magazine
  • Rain Dance
  • Top 10 Films

Convenience and video store clerks Dante and Randal are sharp-witted, potty-mouthed and bored out of their minds. So in between needling customers, the counter jockeys play hockey on the roof, visit a funeral home and deal with their love lives.



15 .) Following (1998)

Following (1998)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Bright Side
  • Rain Dance
  • The Cinemaholic
  • Top 10 Films

A struggling, unemployed young writer takes to following strangers around the streets of London, ostensibly to find inspiration for his new novel.



14 .) Mad Max (1979)

Mad Max (1979)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Goliath
  • Rain Dance
  • The Cinemaholic
  • The Culture Trip

In a self-destructing world, a vengeful Australian policeman sets out to stop a violent motorcycle gang.



13 .) Moon (2009)

Moon (2009)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Alien Element
  • Den Of Geek
  • io9
  • Stranger Views

With only three weeks left in his three year contract, Sam Bell is getting anxious to finally return to Earth. He is the only occupant of a Moon-based manufacturing facility along with his computer and assistant, GERTY. When he has an accident however, he wakens to find that he is not alone.



12 .) Night of the Living Dead

Night of the Living Dead

Lists It Appears On:

  • Cheat Sheet
  • Forbes
  • Rain Dance
  • The Dissolve

A group of people try to survive an attack of bloodthirsty zombies while trapped in a rural Pennsylvania farmhouse. Although not the first zombie film, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD is the progenitor of the contemporary “zombie apocalypse” horror film, and it greatly influenced the modern pop-culture zombie archetype.



11 .) Pi (1998)

Pi (1998)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Alien Element
  • Den Of Geek
  • List Challenges
  • Rain Dance

The debut film from Darren Aronofsky in which a mathematical genius Maximilian Cohen discovers a link in the connection between numbers and reality and thus believes he can predict the future.



10 .) Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Cheat Sheet
  • Forbes
  • List Challenges
  • Rain Dance
  • The Dissolve

Henry likes to kill people, in different ways each time. Henry shares an apartment with Otis. When Otis’ sister comes to stay, we see both sides of Henry: “the guy next door” and the serial killer.



9 .) Monsters (2010)

Monsters (2010)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Alien Element
  • Den Of Geek
  • Goliath
  • Rain Dance
  • Space

Six years ago NASA discovered the possibility of alien life within our solar system. A probe was launched to collect samples, but crashed upon re-entry over Central America. Soon after, new life forms began to appear and half of Mexico was quarantined as an infected zone. Today, the American and Mexican military still struggle to contain “the creatures,” while a journalist agrees to escort a shaken tourist through the infected zone in Mexico to the safety of the U.S. border.



8 .) Once (2007)

Once (2007)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Bright Side
  • Den Of Geek
  • Primer Magazine
  • Rain Dance
  • The Culture Trip

A vacuum repairman moonlights as a street musician and hopes for his big break. One day a Czech immigrant, who earns a living selling flowers, approaches him with the news that she is also an aspiring singer-songwriter. The pair decide to collaborate, and the songs that they compose reflect the story of their blossoming love.



7 .) Eraserhead (1977)

Eraserhead (1977)

Lists It Appears On:

  • List Challenges
  • Primer Magazine
  • Rain Dance
  • The Cinemaholic
  • The Dissolve
  • Top 10 Films

Henry Spencer tries to survive his industrial environment, his angry girlfriend, and the unbearable screams of his newly born mutant child.



6 .) Paranormal Activity (2007)

Paranormal Activity (2007)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Cheat Sheet
  • Den Of Geek
  • Forbes
  • Rain Dance
  • Space
  • Top 10 Films

After a young, middle class couple moves into a suburban ‘starter’ tract house, they become increasingly disturbed by a presence that may or may not be somehow demonic but is certainly most active in the middle of the night. Especially when they sleep. Or try to.



5 .) Napoleon Dynamite (2004)

Napoleon Dynamite (2004)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Bright Side
  • Den Of Geek
  • Goliath
  • Primer Magazine
  • Rain Dance
  • The Cinemaholic
  • The Culture Trip

A listless and alienated teenager decides to help his new friend win the class presidency in their small western high school, while he must deal with his bizarre family life back home.



4 .) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Cheat Sheet
  • Goliath
  • List Challenges
  • Primer Magazine
  • Rain Dance
  • Space
  • The Dissolve

Five friends visiting their grandfather’s house in the country are hunted and terrorized by a chain-saw wielding killer and his family of grave-robbing cannibals.



3 .) Halloween (1978)

Halloween (1978)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Cheat Sheet
  • Forbes
  • Goliath
  • List Challenges
  • Rain Dance
  • Space
  • The Dissolve
  • Top 10 Films

Fifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween Night 1963, Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois to kill again.



2 .) Primer (2004)

Primer (2004)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Alien Element
  • Den Of Geek
  • Goliath
  • io9
  • Rain Dance
  • Stranger Views
  • The Cinemaholic
  • Top 10 Films

Friends and fledgling entrepreneurs invent a device in their garage which reduces the apparent mass of any object placed inside it, but they discover that it has some highly unexpected capabilities – ones that could enable them to do and to have seemingly anything they want. Taking advantage of this unique opportunity is the first challenge they face. Dealing with the consequences is the next.



1 .) The Blair Witch Project (1999)

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

Lists It Appears On:

  • Cheat Sheet
  • Den Of Geek
  • Forbes
  • Goliath
  • Primer Magazine
  • Rain Dance
  • Space
  • The Dissolve
  • Top 10 Films

In October of 1994 three student filmmakers disappeared in the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland, while shooting a documentary. A year later their footage was found.



 


The 175+ Additional Best Low Budget Films



 

# Movies Lists
26 28 Days Later (2002) io9
Den Of Geek
27 A Nightmare on Elm Street Cheat Sheet
The Dissolve
28 A Separation (2011) Bright Side
The Cinemaholic
29 Attack The Block Stranger Views
io9
30 Buried (2010) Rain Dance
Den Of Geek
31 Coherence (2013) Stranger Views
Alien Element
32 Cube Rain Dance
Stranger Views
33 Dawn Of The Dead Rain Dance
The Dissolve
34 Dead Man’s Shoes (2004) Goliath
Den Of Geek
35 El Mariachi (1992) Rain Dance
Primer Magazine
36 Evil Dead 2 Forbes
The Dissolve
37 Fruitvale Station (2013) Bright Side
The Cinemaholic
38 Insidious io9
The Dissolve
39 It Follows (2014) The Dissolve
Horror Chill
40 Let The Right One In (2008) io9
Horror Chill
41 Little Miss Sunshine (2006) The Culture Trip
Den Of Geek
42 Lost In Translation (2003) The Culture Trip
Den Of Geek
43 May (2003) The Dissolve
Horror Chill
44 Open Water (2004) Rain Dance
Den Of Geek
45 Phantasm Cheat Sheet
The Dissolve
46 Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959) Cheat Sheet
Grunge
47 Pontypool (2008) Alien Element
Horror Chill
48 Re-Animator Cheat Sheet
The Dissolve
49 Robot & Frank Stranger Views
io9
50 Rocky (1976) Goliath
The Culture Trip
51 Shaun Of The Dead (2004) io9
Den Of Geek
52 Sleepaway Camp Cheat Sheet
The Dissolve
53 Submarine (2010) The Culture Trip
Den Of Geek
54 Super-Size Me (2004) Top 10 Films
Den Of Geek
55 Swingers Rain Dance
Top 10 Films
56 Take Shelter (2011) The Culture Trip
Den Of Geek
57 Teeth (2008) Cheat Sheet
Horror Chill
58 The Evil Dead Rain Dance
Cheat Sheet
59 The Last House on the Left (1972) Cheat Sheet
List Challenges
60 The Man From Earth (2007) Alien Element
The Cinemaholic
61 Turbo Kid (2015) Stranger Views
Alien Element
62 Welcome to the Dollhouse Bright Side
Rain Dance
63 [REC] Forbes
64 24 Hour Party People (2002) Den Of Geek
65 A Dark Song (2016) Horror Chill
66 A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014) Horror Chill
67 A Wednesday (2008) Book My Show
68 Aguirre: Wrath of God Rain Dance
69 American Psycho (2000) Den Of Geek
70 Animal Kingdom (2010) Den Of Geek
71 Bad Taste New Zealand Rain Dance
72 Badlands (1973) The Cinemaholic
73 Be My Cat: A Film for Anne Cheat Sheet
74 Beginners (2011) Den Of Geek
75 Being John Malkovich io9
76 Berlin Syndrome (2017) Horror Chill
77 Best In Show (2000) Den Of Geek
78 Beyond The Black Rainbow (2010) The Cinemaholic
79 Beyond the Door Cheat Sheet
80 Black Christmas (1974) List Challenges
81 Blood Freak (1972) Grunge
82 Blue Ruin (2013) The Cinemaholic
83 Bowling For Columbine (2002) Den Of Geek
84 Braindead Cheat Sheet
85 Bubba Ho-Tep io9
86 Buffalo 66 (1998) Den Of Geek
87 Cannibal Holocaust (1980) List Challenges
88 Carnival Of Souls The Dissolve
89 Catfish (2010) Den Of Geek
90 Cemetery Man io9
91 Chronicle io9
92 Contamination (1980) Grunge
93 Control (2007) Den Of Geek
94 Creating Rem Lezar (1989) Grunge
95 Creep (2014) The Cinemaholic
96 Dark Star (1974) Alien Element
97 Dead Snow Cheat Sheet
98 Deep Throat (1972) Primer Magazine
99 Dogma (1999) Den Of Geek
100 Donnie Darko (2001) Den Of Geek
101 Eagle Vs Shark (2007) Den Of Geek
102 Easy Rider (1969) The Cinemaholic
103 Escape from Hell (2000) Grunge
104 Evil Dead (1981) The Cinemaholic
105 Gangs Of Wasseypur (2012) Book My Show
106 Ganja & Hess The Dissolve
107 Garden State (2004) Den Of Geek
108 Ghost World (2001) Den Of Geek
109 Green Room (2015) Horror Chill
110 Grizzly Man (2005) Den Of Geek
111 Half Nelson Bright Side
112 High Tension Cheat Sheet
113 Hollywood Shuffle Top 10 Films
114 Horrors of Spider Island (1960) Grunge
115 Hounds of Love (2016) Horror Chill
116 Hunger (2008) Den Of Geek
117 Hush Cheat Sheet
118 I Killed My Mother (2009) The Cinemaholic
119 I Spit On Your Grave Cheat Sheet
120 In the Company of Men Bright Side
121 Ink (2009) Alien Element
122 John Dies at the End Stranger Views
123 Kahaani (2012) Book My Show
124 Kidulthood (2006) Den Of Geek
125 Killer Klowns from Outer Space Cheat Sheet
126 Krisha (2015) The Cinemaholic
127 Living in Oblivion Rain Dance
128 Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels Goliath
129 Lord of the Flies Rain Dance
130 Manos the Hands of Fate (1966) Grunge
131 Martin The Dissolve
132 Mean Streets (1973) The Cinemaholic
133 Memento (2000) Den Of Geek
134 Message From Space (1978) Grunge
135 Mid-August Lunch Bright Side
136 My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown Bright Side
137 Nadja The Dissolve
138 Near Dark The Dissolve
139 Peeping Tom (1960) List Challenges
140 Piranha II (1981) Grunge
141 Pitch Black io9
142 Prevenge (2013) Horror Chill
143 Raw (2016) Horror Chill
144 Resolution (2013) Horror Chill
145 Robocop io9
146 Senna (2011) Den Of Geek
147 Session 9 The Dissolve
148 Shotgun Stories (2007) The Cinemaholic
149 Sinister Forbes
150 Sisters The Dissolve
151 Slacker Rain Dance
152 Sleep Dealer io9
153 Snatch (2000) Den Of Geek
154 Son Of Rambow (2007) Den Of Geek
155 Spider Baby The Dissolve
156 Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987) Grunge
157 Synchronicity (2015) Alien Element
158 Tanu Weds Manu(2011) Book My Show
159 Terrifier (2018) Horror Chill
160 Terror Toons (2002) Grunge
161 The Apu Trilogy (1955-1959) Primer Magazine
162 The Battery (2012) The Cinemaholic
163 The Beast of Yucca Flats (1961) Grunge
164 The Blackcoat’s Daughter (2015) Horror Chill
165 The Breakfast Club Bright Side
166 The Cabin In The Woods The Dissolve
167 The Castle (1997) Den Of Geek
168 The Crazies io9
169 The Descent (2005) Den Of Geek
170 The Devil’s Rejects The Dissolve
171 The Europa Report Stranger Views
172 The Full Monty (1997) The Culture Trip
173 The Girl With All the Gifts (2016) Horror Chill
174 The Guard (2011) Den Of Geek
175 The Hills Have Eyes (1977) List Challenges
176 The Horror of Party Beach (1964) Grunge
177 The Host io9
178 The House Of The Devil The Dissolve
179 The Howling The Dissolve
180 The Inbetweeners Movie (2011) Den Of Geek
181 The Killer Shrews (1959) Grunge
182 The Last Exorcism Forbes
183 The Lift (1983) Grunge
184 The Lunchbox (2013) Book My Show
185 The Masque Of The Red Death The Dissolve
186 The Science Of Sleep (2006) Den Of Geek
187 The Stepfather The Dissolve
188 The Terminator io9
189 The Town That Dreaded Sundown Cheat Sheet
190 The Toxic Avenger Cheat Sheet
191 The Void (2013) Horror Chill
192 The Witch (2015) Horror Chill
193 Things (1989) Grunge
194 Thunder Ninja Kids in the Golden Adventure (1992) Grunge
195 THX 1138 (1971) Alien Element
196 Time Lapse (2014) Alien Element
197 Timecrimes io9
198 Trollhunter io9
199 Tyrannosaur (2011) The Cinemaholic
200 Upstream Color (2013) The Cinemaholic
201 Veronica (2017) Horror Chill
202 Wendy and Lucy Bright Side
203 Wristcutters : A Love Story (2006) The Cinemaholic
204 Xtro io9
205 Zerophilia io9

 


19 Best Low-Budget Film Sources/Lists



Source Article
Alien Element 10 Notable High Concept / Low Budget Sci Fi Films
Book My Show Top Low Budget Movies That Made Big In Bollywood – Entertainment
Bright Side 15 Low-Budget Yet Brilliant Movies That Became Box Office Hits
Cheat Sheet Low-Budget Horror Movies That Kick Ass
Den Of Geek Top 50 Modern Day Low Budget Movies
Forbes The Top Ten Best Low-Budget Horror Movies Of All Time
Goliath The 12 Best Movies Made With Extremely Low Budgets
Grunge The most hilarious low-budget films ever
Horror Chill The 20 Best Low-budget Indie Horror Movies of all time
io9 Low Budget Films That Are More Thrilling Than Most Big Summer
List Challenges The 10 Best Low-Budget Horror Movies of All Time – How many have
Primer Magazine A Selection of the Best Low Budget Movies of All Time
Rain Dance 25 Low Budget Films That Launched Careers of Filmmakers
Space 7 Very Scary Movies That Were Shot On A Shoestring Budget
Stranger Views Best Low Budget Science Fiction Movies
The Cinemaholic Best Low Budget Movies of All Time
The Culture Trip The 10 Greatest Low-Budget Movies Of All Time
The Dissolve The 30 Best American Independent Horror Films
Top 10 Films Top 10 Low Budget Films of All Time – Top 10 Films