h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Don't forget. The B movie was the support movie to the Main Feature. A low budget, 'short' (in other words, cheap!), which was shown before the film you went to see was screened.
After watching one of these, the main feature would appear to be a brilliant work of art, no matter how bad it was (almost!).

Now cinemas don't show support films,(they don't have to waste money on them and the audience is out of the cinema quicker so the next lot can be let in), so B movies have become an entity on their own.

I think for a film to qualify as a B movie, it must be low budget. You know the type. Where the pilot of a plane sits on a dining room chair and the 'door' to the flight deck is a piece of curtain (see Plan 9 From Outer Space for the defining characteristics).

Oh Edward Wood, where are you? Plan nine from outer space was your crowning glory (Once voted worst film of all time!)
The only comparable thing to B's nowadays are the home movie videos so many think are so wonderful. "I made it on my DV camcorder and did all the editing on my PC" type.
Oh yes, the B movie ain't gone yet.