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Imagine earning hundreds of millions from only spending what you’d use to buy a base-level automobile. That’s precisely what happened to the intrepid creators behind two low-budget films that surpassed expectations to become money-printing cultural phenomena. A fear-based financial windfall. Having $15,000 to spare might get you a decent used car, but it rarely earns you roughly four times the average annual U.S. income. That jaw-dropping scenario unfolded when “Paranormal Activity” — a film for which the lead actors were rumored to be compensated only $500 each for their roles — hit theaters in 2009. An immediate smash on the big screen, THE MOST LUCRATIVE INVESTMENTS IN MOVIE HISTORY THIN-BUDGET BLOCKBUSTERS
worked. She’d watch me many summers, and we had great times together. We’d walk to the local Wawa so I could get an orange creamsicle Flintstones Push Pop, which was my absolute favorite treat as a kid. On the way back, we’d stop at the local creek and skip rocks on the water.
Mom-Mom is still hanging in there at 84. She’s never been extravagant, and she still favors the simpler things in life. Sometimes, you
don’t have to travel to a massive amusement park or take an international trip with your family to give them lasting memories. Sometimes, all it takes is a walk to the creek to skip a few rocks. If you’re lucky enough still to have a multigenerational connection with living family members, cherish them with all your heart. If your grandparents have passed, hold your memories of them close on Sept. 7 and whenever you need a reminder of how much your loved ones mean to you. –Austin Kobilka
the film brought in nearly $200 million in ticket sales and birthed a franchise that has spawned six sequels. While many famous franchises have thrived through bank-bursting budgets (“Star Wars: The
Force Awakens” alone cost more than $500
million to produce), the ongoing success of the “Paranormal Activity” series proves that Hollywood offers just as much opportunity for fledgling upstarts as it does legendary filmmakers.
3:2:1 APEROL SPRITZ
Close out the season with the ultimate late summer sip — refreshing, light, and effortlessly elegant. With its perfect balance of bitter Aperol, crisp Prosecco, and a splash of club soda, this classic Italian cocktail is as easy to make as it is to enjoy.
Witches, woods, and wealth. While slightly more expensive than “Paranormal Activity,” the 1999 film “The Blair Witch Project” — made for approximately $60,000 — set the template for making the most of meager means. In the fall of 1997, three actors entered a forest with camcorders and a 35-page script. While that would be a reasonable set-up for a modest film by a trio of college students, it was the foundation for one of the biggest horror films ever released. With its faux “foot footage” approach to filmmaking, clever marketing that suggested that the fim’s stars were missing persons (spoiler alert: they weren’t), air of suspense that would have made the late Alfred Hitchcock blush, and storytelling that relied more on solid acting than grandiose special effects, “The Blair Witch Project” awed audiences upon its 1999 theatrical release — quickly catching an international buzz that generated nearly $300 million in revenue.
INGREDIENTS • 4 ice cubes (or more as desired) • 3 oz Prosecco • 2 oz Aperol (or other bitter orange aperitif)
Inspired by AllRecipes.com
• 1 oz club soda • 1 orange slice
DIRECTIONS 1. Fill a wine glass with ice cubes, then pour in Prosecco. 2. Add Aperol to the glass, then top with club soda. (For a sweeter sip, substitute San Pellegrino orange soda for the club soda) 3. Finish by garnishing with an orange slice and enjoy!
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