Overviews, Discussion, & Analysis of the Genre

• B Movie – Wikipedia Article
  Detailed history and description of B movies
• “B” Movies: Call them Campy, Schlocky or Genius
  Discussion, examples, and a montage
• B-Movies
  A brief discussion and long list by TV Tropes
• What Exactly Is a B-Movie?
  an informative article by Duane L. Martin

What Is a B Movie?

Mostly low-budget movies that are independent (no studio backing).

“Although there are many differing opinions as to what a b-movie actually is, there is only one real technical definition to the term. The actual technical definition is that a b-movie was the second movie on a double bill. It was typically a low budget formula type film, which fell somewhere in the suspense, horror, sci-fi, western, exploitation or gangster genres, although there were other genres covered as well. 

“This definition later gave way to the wider definition of b-movie, which basically encompassed any low budget film. Now I personally have a problem with this definition, because as a classic film reviewer, I’ve reviewed a wide variety of classic b-movies that taken as a whole, have a feel that truly sets them apart as an all encompassing genre unto themselves. 

“So what exactly is a b-movie? Well if you’ve ever seen one of those cheesy sci-fi movies from the 50’s, or seen a goofy old monster movie where the monster looks like something out of a Sid and Marty Krofft Saturday morning kid’s show, then you’ve seen a b-movie. B-movies have a feeling and a style all their own. They’re low budget, formulaic, and often feature some of the cheesiest acting and dialogue you’ll ever see on film.”

Source: Duane L. Martin