THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (1999)

Filmmakers Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez tried to convince Sundance crowds that their $35,000 spookfest was culled from real footage. Artisan plunked down what seemed like an astronomical $1 million for what looked like a glorified home movie. But thanks to trailblazing Internet marketing shenanigans, Blair Witch obliterated indie-film box office records while provoking the ire and envy of Miramax honcho Harvey Weinstein.