The Basketball Diaries

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

USA 1995 Color

Synopsis: 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.

Produced by: Island Pictures / New Line Cinema
Sound Mix: DTS / Dolby Stereo Digital
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.
Runtime: Spain:102 / UK:100

Directed by
     Scott Kalvert

Cast (in credits order) probably complete
     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)





Links:
     Interview, Mal Vincent

     Jim Carroll Home Page by Cassie Carter

     Movie Review, Matt Zoller Seitz, Mr. Showbiz

     Movie Review, Kelly Hurley, Campus Press

     Movie Review, Mal Vincent, Landmark Communications

     Movie Review, Lucy Mohl

     Movie Review, Pamela Evans

     Movie Review, Tom Gliatto, People

     Movie Review, Kim Khan, The Cavalier Daily, Inc.

     Movie Review, Mal Vincent

     Movie Review, Alex Patterson, eye WEEKLY

     Movie Review, Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

     Movie Review, Bill Morrison