Red, White & Blue (2010)
The Indie Horror: Disturbing revenge thriller in which Erica (Amanda Fuller) is targeted by a jealous ex (Marc Senter) as she drifts through Austin, Texas looking for love.
If It Had A Bigger Budget: It’d break out of Texas and be more transcontinental to really show how adrift Erica is.
The Girl Next Door (2007)
The Indie Horror: According to Stephen King, the most shocking American film since Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer. No, not the Elisha Cuthbert comedy, but a horror about a young girl who silently suffers torture and abuse.
If It Had A Bigger Budget: Stephen King would’ve written the script.
Cube (1997)
The Indie Horror: Mind-bending Canadian sci-fi directed by Vincenzo Natali. Seven strangers find themselves in a booby-trapped environment that seems to be just one massive cube.
If It Had A Bigger Budget: The entire cube could’ve been made – as it was, only one 14ft set was built and set-dressed to look like different rooms.
Paranormal Activity (2007)
The Indie Horror: Reigniting the craze for found footage horror, Oren Peli’s slow-burn chiller was made for just $15,000 and made $193m at the box office. It’s a formula that has also worked for the film’s two sequels. Activity 4 is out this October.
If It Had A Bigger Budget: The demon in the film would be a full-on CGI creation instead of the invisible presence presented here.
Monsters (2010)
The Indie Horror: Not an all-out horror, but one that contains elements of monster movie madness, Gareth Edwards made his directorial debut for just $500,000, and shot it on the fly throughout North and South America.
If It Had A Bigger Budget: The film would be set in Tokyo, and involve a giant reptile smashing its way through the city…
Colin (2008)
The Indie Horror: Supposedly made for just £45 (we’re assuming that doesn’t include post-production), Colin put a spin on zombie horrors by taking a surprisingly emotional approach to the gore-soaked sub-genre. The result is an effective genre-buster.
If It Had A Bigger Budget: Director Marc Price could’ve afforded to use a camera that wasn’t a decade old. And probably pay for catering.
Zombie Flesh Eaters (1979)
The Indie Horror: The film that turned Lucio Fulci into a horror icon, and a much-loved video nasty that didn’t get an uncut release in the UK until 2005.
If It Had A Bigger Budget: The shark vs zombie skirmish would’ve been a full-on fist-to-fin fight that lasted at least 30 minutes.
Switchblade Romance (2003)
The Indie Horror: French slasher also known as Haute Tension , Switchblade Romance is a bloody tension-cranker that comes equipped with one of the coolest twists in horror movie history.
If It Had A Bigger Budget: Director Alexander Aja probably would’ve thrown in a few CGI piranhas for good measure.
Tucker & Dale Vs Evil (2010)
The Indie Horror: Tongue-in-cheek comedy horror that lovingly sends up slashers in gushes of arterial spray. Eponymous duo Tucker (Alan Tudyk) and Dale (Tyler Labine) are harmless hillbillies whom a group of college grads mistake for serial killers.
If It Had A Bigger Budget: It wouldn’t have made a jot of difference – even on a tiny budget, this film manages to cram in a Bond-style razor-blade-between-the-legs finale that truly impresses.
Ginger Snaps (2000)
The Indie Horror: Canadian horror that plays around with werewolf mythology, cleverly giving it a menstrual skew. Kooky sisters Ginger and Brigitte have their sisterhood tested when Ginger starts going through some changes…
If It Had A Bigger Budget: Ginger and Brigitte’s death scenes would’ve been even more elaborately OTT – we’re thinking death by Empire State Building and highway pile-ups.
