Shoestring cinema: Groundbreaking budget greats
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'El Mariachi' (1992)
Budget: $7,000
Gross: $2,000,000
Director Robert Rodriquez was paid $100 a day for 30 days to test an anti-cholesterol drug. He spent most of that time scripting the stylish action thriller while locked up in the lab. He raised some more cash, most of which went on film for the camera, sacrificing props – most of the guns are water pistols! Rodriquez shot, edited and even dubbed it himself.
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