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Some of the biggest movies in the world have been made with blank checks.
But other iconic movies, and some underrated gems, were made for next to nothing at all.
In the long history of cinema, money is the biggest difference-maker for artists.
Some studios seem to throw money around like candy, bankrolling mega-budget tent poles for eye-watering sums.
(And only sometimes do the results actually seem to show.)
But just as often, there comes a stone-cold classic made for miniscule amounts.
Those movies might become classics in their own right.
They win awards, or catapult the artists behind them to a greater level of fame.
Dont let the blinding awards accolades distract you: Moonlight is both tender and uncompromising.
In this absurdist dystopian sci-fi, romantic partnerships are a matter of life and death.
(David has chosen to become a lobster, should his efforts fail.)
But the original Rocky from 1976 and directed by John G. Avildsen has lightweight beginnings.
Producers balked at Stallones insistence to star, preferring more established talents instead.
(Actors like Robert Redford and Burt Reynolds were thrown around.)
In a 2021 interview with Input, Schoenbrun revealed the movie was made for just $175,000.
(Metal Gear Solid actor David Hayter replaces previous Guyver star Jack Armstrong.)
Sometimes, what they churn out become classics.
American Psycho (2000)
American Psycho was by no means a tiny movie.
Drive (1997)
No, were not talking about the Ryan Gosling movie here.
Emelie Garbers stars as the nameless caretaker of Mima, who herself feels lost with her fellow passengers.
Eventually, things culminate in unspeakable murder.
After his prized pig is stolen, Cages Rob returns to the city to locate his only real friend.
Breathless (1960)
Cinephiles dont need to be told to see Breathless.
But thats the playful genius of David Lowery.
(Exactly how much was that white bedsheet?)
The Invitation (2015)
Ever had to endure a party you never wanted to attend?
Dont be fooled by this movies bottle setting of a wildly expensive postmodern Beverly Hills home.
The Invitation was made for just $1 million.
Impossible, because they died long ago in a car accident one Christmas night.
