When people hear the words “low-budget horror,” it doesn’t always evoke the greatest reactions. If you happen to be a horror snob (yes, I said snob), then it’s easy to roll your eyes at them. And yes, while there are plenty of low-budget horror movies that aren’t masterpieces, finding gold or enjoyable watches isn’t impossible.
Think of those horror movies that are hailed as classics and are constantly brought up. The vast majority of them were low-budget. Does that remove their status as classics? No, it doesn’t. And whether or not the horror movies in this list are your faves, they weren’t overly expensive to make. Also, don’t fret if some of your favorites aren’t in this list. (It would get too long if I included everything.) We all know that Halloween (1978), Friday the 13th (1980), and The Evil Dead (1981) etc. are classic horror movies. But including them would make this list redundant.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Capturing madness onscreen isn’t all that easy to do. It can either come across as cringey or unbearably over the top. Thankfully The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was able to, and it gave horror fans one of the most horrifying dinner scenes—even if the screams from our final girl are hard to listen to. The film is straightforward as it follows a group of teenagers traveling through rural Texas. Naturally, they explore where they shouldn’t and fall prey to a family of cannibals. Ultimately, this horror classic is beloved (though it’s hard to forget the horrendous working conditions the cast and crew endured), Leatherface is one of the best horror villains, and the franchise is still breathing.
What was the budget? $800,000
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
It’s almost unreal that certain cult classics were released when they were, not to mention the lack of appreciation most received during their release year. The Rocky Horror Picture Show is one of those horror cult classics. What this movie did for horror, queer culture, and musicals is too much to explain. But what can be said is that it’s full of fantastic songs and moments, and will have the device you watch it on ooze rainbows every time. While the plot isn’t that cohesive, the rest of the film makes up for that. And really, that’s all that matters.
What was the budget? $1.4 million
Carrie (1976)
Supernatural horror doesn’t always appeal to people. It’s usually due to how slowly these stories can move, and ultimately, the buildup pays off during the last half of the movie. Carrie isn’t much different than other supernatural horror in that department, but the only difference is that the whole movie is memorable, much like the performances from most of the cast. The movie follows teenager Carrie White, her telekinetic powers, and how everything spins out of control for her. This Stephen King novel adaptation is tragically beautiful, and Sissy Spacek’s performance as Carrie White is haunting. She captured the tragedy of dealing with religion-fueled abuse tremendously.
What was the budget? $1.8 million
Night of the Demons (1988)
The ‘80s pumped out a lot of horror that’s not always memorable. But there are cases where some movies got lost in the cracks and are more appreciated now. Night of the Demons is most certainly one of those. The plot is quite simple, as it’s about a group of teens who throw a party at an abandoned funeral parlor. They attempt a seance, which accidentally releases a demon that possesses the group one by one. This film exceeds expectations in terms of survivors, and it presents some surprises. Does it have sexist moments and do the characters make bad decisions? Yes. But it’s a horror movie worth checking out.
What was the budget? $1.2 million
Tammy and the T-Rex (1994)
Sometimes it’s best to throw seriousness out the window and make a horror comedy. After all, it would be hard to take Paul Walker inside of a giant robotic T-Rex seriously. Good thing that Tammy and the T-Rex didn’t bother to try. The movie follows Tammy (Denise Richards), who sets out to help her boyfriend, who had his brain implanted into the body of a robotic T-Rex by a mad scientist. It’s full-blown camp and it’s absolutely terrific. Top it off with a memorable queer Black character, Byron (Theo Forsett), and you’ve got gold. Unfortunately, it’s hard to find the uncut version of the film, but it’s necessary in order to have the best experience.
What was the budget? Less than a million
(featured image: Imperial Entertainment)
Published: May 10, 2022 03:13 pm