Z-movie
Ultra-cheap cinema production
A Z-movie is a film of extremely low budget and production quality, below even B-movies in the hierarchy of cinema.
The term suggests bottom-of-the-barrel filmmaking—amateur acting, cheap effects, minimal sets: The streaming service is full of Z-movies nobody's ever heard of.
Some Z-movies achieve cult status precisely because of their ineptitude.
Tawdry moral quality
- goreGraphic bloody violence
- schlockLow-quality merchandise
- nudityAbsence of clothing
- sexploitationFilms exploiting carnal content
blaxploitation · sensationalism · taboo · splatter · mondo · shockumentary · gratuitous · campy
Low-budget film theater
- drive-inVenue serving seated motorists
- collectorsThose who systematically acquire
- fanbaseCollective devoted audience
- obscurityState of being unknown
underground · subculture · devotees · rarities · niche · fandom · connoisseurs · esoteric
Costing relatively little
- amateurNonprofessional participant
- DIYAmateur home projects
- shoestringCord for footwear
- backyardOutdoor space behind home
dubbed · non-actors · direct-to-DVD · mockbuster · indie
sleaze
Tawdry moral quality
sexploitation · blaxploitation · sensationalism · taboo · splatter · mondo · shockumentary · gratuitous · campy · lurid
grindhouse
Low-budget film theater
- drive-inVenue serving seated motorists
- collectorsThose who systematically acquire
- fanbaseCollective devoted audience
obscurity · underground · subculture · devotees · rarities · niche · fandom · connoisseurs · esoteric · rediscovered
low-budget
Costing relatively little
- amateurNonprofessional participant
- DIYAmateur home projects
- shoestringCord for footwear
backyard · dubbed · non-actors · direct-to-DVD · mockbuster · indie
Z-movieblockbuster
Enormously successful entertainment property
tentpole movie · summer blockbuster · tent-pole movie · studio film · mainstream hit
Z-moviemasterpiece
Supreme artistic achievement
prestige film · art film · classic · arthouse film · cinema verité
Z-movieblockbuster
Enormously successful entertainment property
box office hit · smash hit · mainstream hit · crowd-pleaser · wide release