successful movies made for under $100,000

[pete]

I'm in a class with this professor who seems to be overwhelmed by low-budget indie movie hypes all the time.  she's friends with the makers of the Blair Witch Project and for the past week she kept on talking about the genius of those people, and wouldn't stop bringing up the $35,000 to $161 million comparison.  Whatever, you know, that's cool--but she seems to think that $35,000 is like an unprecedented amount of something.  I pointed out that clerks, slacker, and go fish, were made under very simiilar budgets, but she said she wanted to see proof.  what a jerk huh?  anyways, so here is where I'd like to find out about other cheap and successful movies.  none of them obviously made $161 mil, but whatever, I just want some low budget.

[Ghostboy]

Hmmmm....

Clerks was about 27,000.
On the higher end, Pi was about 65,000.
There's also the whole El Mariachi cliche/myth, of course.

[cowboykurtis]

Stranger Than Paradise - 90,000
Pi - 60,000
In The Company of Men - 25,000
Eraserhead - 10,000
Blood,Guts,Bullets, and Octane - 7,300
Primer - 7,000
Following - 6,000

[MacGuffin]

She's Gotta Have It.

If the prof. wants proof, have her read:

[dufresne]

Hmmmm....

There's also the whole El Mariachi cliche/myth, of course.

El Mariachi was fully funded with a six-pack of cervezas.

[ono]

If the prof. wants proof, have her read: [Spike Mike Reloaded]

What's the difference between this and Spike, Mike, Slackers, and Dykes?  Is this just an updated version?

Side note: I've been reading this film festival book where the author just wouldn't shut up about The Blair Witch Project.  Very annoying.  I feel your pain.

[MacGuffin]

What's the difference between this and Spike, Mike, Slackers, and Dykes?  Is this just an updated version?

Yes, updated. This edition has "a new foreword and last word by Kevin Smith."

[Ghostboy]

As annoying as Blair Witch became, their initial marketing strategy, streching back to before it played at Sundance, was pretty damn brilliant.

And, obviously, it worked, which is why everyone's sick of hearing about it now.

[ono]

Yep, the marketing strategy was what the author concentrated on most of the time.  This was the book, if anyone cares.  And I think Blood, Guts, Bullets, and Octane was discussed in it, too, IIRC.

[kotte]

'In The Company Of Men' is the proof a good script is really the only thing you need.

[Jeremy Blackman]

I've always ignored all the hype of Blair Witch, and I've always loved the movie.

[grand theft sparrow]

'In The Company Of Men' is the proof a good script is really the only thing you need.

Someone should put that to a test.  Film a version of it with Dolph Lundgren and Freddie Prinze Jr. and then tell me that's true.

[matt35mm]

Are you telling me that In The Company Of Men starring Dolph Lundgren and Freddie Prinze Jr. WOULDN'T be a great movie??

You're sick!

[grand theft sparrow]

Are you telling me that In The Company Of Men starring Dolph Lundgren and Freddie Prinze Jr. WOULDN'T be a great movie??

You're sick!

You know, you're right.  I stand corrected.