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The Basketball Diaries
USA 1995 Color
Basketball Diaries

The true story of the death of innocence and the birth of an artist


Adolescent drug addiction provides the focus for this timely drama based on author Jim Carroll's best-selling 1978 autobiography. As a young man, Carroll belonged to the St. Vitus basketball team, the best Catholic team in New York. His three teammates and best friends and he loved to hang out. They were a rebellious lot and loved to experiment with drugs. Often they would steal from rival teams, and beat them up. Jim was a little different from the other three because he was a compulsive writer who kept detailed journals. The boys initially innocent drug use led them into a spiral of increasingly stronger drugs and eventual heroin addiction. Two of the boys are kicked off the basketball team for drug use. Jim's own mother kicks him out of the house for his. The addicted friends become petty thugs to support their habits. Eventually Jim's mother gets him arrested and Jim realizes his life has bottomed out.

Genre(s)/keyword(s): basketball / crime / Drama / drugs / new-york / youth
Certification: Sweden:15 / UK:18 / USA:R
MPAA reasons: Rated R for graphic depiction of drug addiction with related strong violence, sexuality and language.
Sound Mix: DTS / Dolby Stereo Digital
Runtime: Spain:102 / UK:100
Location: New York, USA
Theatrical Release: 04/21/1995
Video Release: 09/26/1995
Produced by: Island Pictures / New Line Cinema
Directed by
   Scott Kalvert

Cast (in credits order)
   Leonardo DiCaprio .... Jim Carroll
   Lorraine Bracco .... Jim's mom
   Marilyn Sokol .... Chanting Woman
   James Madio .... Pedro
   Patrick McGaw .... Neutron
   Mark Wahlberg .... Mickey
   Roy Cooper .... Father McNulty
   Vinnie Pastore .... Construction Worker
   Bruno Kirby .... Swifty
   Jimmy Papiris .... Iggy
   Nick Gaetani .... Referee
   Lawrence Barth .... Referee
   Alexander Gaberman .... Bobo
   Ben Jorgensen .... Tommy
   Josh Mostel .... Counterman
   Juliette Lewis .... Diane Moody
   Michael Imperioli .... Bobby
   Akiko Ashley .... Stripper
   Ernie Hudson .... Reggie Porter
   Manny Alfaro .... Manny
   Cynthia Daniel .... Winkie
   Brittany Daniel .... Blinkie
   Eric Betts .... Drug Dealer
   Joyce R. Korbin .... Mugging Victim
   Barton Heyman .... Confessional Priest
   Gary Iorio .... Policeman
   Toby Huss .... Kenny
   James Dennis Carroll .... Frankie Pinewater
   William Webb .... Juju Johnson
   John Vennema .... Mr Rubin
   Michael Rapaport .... Skinhead
   Doc Dougherty .... Policeman
   John Hoyt .... Billy the Bartender
   Manny Siverio .... Pino

Written by
   Jim Carroll (novel)
   Bryan Golubuff

Cinematography by
   David Phillips

Music by
   Pauli DiBartolo
   Graeme Revell

Production Design by
   Christopher Nowak

Costume Design by
   David C. Robinson

Film Editing by
   Dana Congdon

Produced by
   Chris Blackwell (executive)
   Dan Genetti (executive)
   Liz Heller
   Kathie Hersch (line)
   John Bard Manulis

Other crew
   Verne Caruso (hair styles)
   Paul Clay (sound)
   Diane Hammond (make-up)
   Avy Kaufman (casting)
   Edgard Mourino (stunt co-ordinator)
   Karyn Rachtman (music supervisor)
   William Sarokin (sound)
   Andrew Saxe (assistant location manager)
   Diana D. Schmidt (unit production manager)
   Shane Shemko (foley)
   Cam Wagner (foley)

 

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