The Basketball Diaries

Starring:Leonardo DiCaprio, Lorraine Bracco, Marilyn Sokol, James Madio, Patrick McGaw, Mark Wahlberg, Roy Cooper, Bruno Kirby, Jimmy Papiris, Nick Gaetani, Alexander Chaplin, Ben Jorgensen, Josh Mostel, Juliette Lewis, Michael Imperioli, Akiko Ashley, Ernie Hudson, Manny Alfaro, Cynthia Daniel, Brittany Daniel
Director: Scott Kalvert
Studio: Palm Pictures / Umvd
Product Type: DVD

Product Description

Film adaptation of street tough Jim Carroll's epistle about his kaleidoscopic free fall into the harrowing world of drug addiction. As a member of a seemingly unbeatable high school basketball squad, Jim's life centers around the basketball court and the court becomes a metaphor for the world in his mind. A best friend who is dying of leukemia, a coach ("Swifty") who takes unacceptable liberties with the boys on his team, teenage sexual angst, and an unhealthy appetite for heroin -- all of these begin to encroach on young Jim's dream of becoming a basketball star. Soon, the dark streets of New York become a refuge from his mother's mounting concern for her son. He can't go home and his only escape from the reality of the streets is heroin for which he steals, robs and prostitutes himself. Only with the help of Reggie, an older neighborhood friend with whom Jim "picked up a game" now and then, is he able to begin the long journey back to sanity.

Amazon.com

The pre-Titanic Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Jim Carroll, the poet and musician who spent much of his adolescence addicted to heroin and shooting hoops with fellow Catholic high school kids. As a biography, the film doesn't amount to more than the sum of its gritty scenes of smack use, violence, perversions (poor Bruno Kirby plays a lecherous coach who comes on to young Jim), and the usual scream-and-puke dramas that go along with a cold-turkey session. Director Scott Kalvert doesn't seem to realize that most people don't know who Carroll is and therefore can't possibly understand why they should care about his gutterball youth. DiCaprio, having nowhere to go with his performance but maintain Carroll's tailspin, is boring and redundant. Some kind of allusion to the literary and rock & roll life that follows the mess we're watching might have been helpful. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Excellent movie.......2007-06-27

Leonardo DiCaprio is outstanding in this coming of age drama. A must see for the young and old alike.

The best actor!.......2007-06-13

This movie is amazing, the talented Mr. Dicaprio really gave an outstanding performance

Addiction:.......2007-03-12

This is a powerful video regarding the depths to which one may fall due to addiction. Well acted, and moving.

Awful.......2007-03-11

Bad, bad, bad.
Bad acting, bad writing, bad directing.
I was sort of neutral about DiCaprio until I saw this steaming pile of bad acting. Consequently, since seeing this, I haven't voluntarily watched another DiCaprio performance.
It was a huge mistake by the director (or the screen writer) to NOT set this in the era in which Jim Carroll grew up. Or if it was meant to be, it failed astoundingly with glaring anachronisms.

the basketball diaries.......2007-01-11

I love that movie it has heart and soul about one young man.

Pistol Pete's (Maravich) Basketball Diaries

Average customer rating:

Pistol Pete in College
Low quality
THIS IS BASICALLY AN ADVERTISEMENT FOR A BOOK

Pistol Pete's (Maravich) Basketball Diaries

Manufacturer: The Mendelson Entertainment Group
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Sports | Genres | DVD | Video

The Night of Pistol Pete
The Pistol - The Birth of a Legend
Pistol: The Life of Pete Maravich
Maravich
Homework Basketball: Shooting

Product Features:

Newly released
Maravich LSU footage

ASIN: B000P1516M

Product Description

Pistol Pete Basketball Diaries features rare footage, photos, and fascinating interviews, as it explores the life and college career of a spectacular basketball player known for his dazzling ballhandling, incredible shooting abilities, and creative passing. A star at Louisiana State University from 1968-70, Maravich holds nearly every major NCAA scoring record, including most career points (3,667), highest career scoring average (44.2 ppg), most field goals made (1,387) and attempted (3,166), and most career 50-point games (28). And he accomplished all this without the benefit of the three-point basket, which had not yet been introduced into the college game. Maravich played with style and flair, featuring playground moves and hotdog passes in his repertoire, introducing fans to an early version of 'showtime' basketball more than a decade before Magic and Larry. His shaggy hair and floppy socks helped cement his iconic image as the consummate gym rat who was never more comfortable than on the basketball court. 65 minutes

Customer Reviews:

Pistol Pete in College.......2007-05-29

This appears to be a one hour television special with an interview of Mark Kriegel, who wrote a biography of Pete Maravich. Interspersed throughout the interview is B&W footage of his LSU games, including a few shots of his freshman year that I haven't seen anywhere else. The "bonus" feature is the second half of the Kentucky at LSU game of his senior year. It is disappointing in that the camera shots are long-range and there is no sound. Without commentary, it's sometimes hard to tell Pete from his teammates. Since the game was televised by CBS, I wish they had included that telecast with commentary. Maybe somebody will someday. If you're looking for your first "Pistol" DVD, I recommend "The Night of Pistol Pete" which covers his best game as a pro.

Low quality.......2007-05-24

The first part of this DVD consists of an interview by the producer of the author of the recent book, Pistol. It is shot on a very low budget and, while the author has interesting points to make, the book probably has better production values than this DVD. Interspersed with that interview are a couple of conversations between some players who played with or against Pistol at LSU and they are unilluminating to be kind.

There is some b&w footage of Pistol and it makes for a good historical document but also of very low quality. Most of it is shot from a single point and with no sound.

Finally, this dvd does not cover his pro career except for brief discussion of the first year.

Having nothing to do with the DVD, I'm going to use this space to summarize my one and only chance to see Pistol play in his prime for posterity. In November 1970, his rookie year, Pistol came to Philadelphia (Spectrum) for the first time. It was one of his first games in the league. Back then, hardly anyone went to NBA games and my mom got 4 seats just a couple of rows off the floor for me to see my hero live. The powers that be set up the player intros so that the Hawks ran out of their tunnel one at a time - they were the visitors, mind you - mainly to milk the excitement over Pistol being in town for the first time. He was the last one to be intro'd, of course, and when he came jogging out, there were about a half dozen young women who leapt out of the stands and jumped all over him such that he had to slow down and run an obstacle course to get to his teammates. That was the phenomenon of Pistol Pete, and, at the end of this DVD, the author touches on the jealousy and racial tension that it triggered among older NBA players. You also learn from this DVD, and I am sure the book, that one reason for Pete's astonishing success in college was that many of the teams he played against were all or heavily white, and you can understand why he was not able to match that in the more racially balanced NBA of the 1970's, although he did ultimately wind up with a 24+ per game scoring average on 44% shooting (plus 4 boards and 5 assists per game) in an era without a 3-pt line (which only came in his last NBA year).

Anyway, it's wonderful that someone took the trouble to put this out but it isn't very good. Hopefully there will be a better video product on Pete someday.

THIS IS BASICALLY AN ADVERTISEMENT FOR A BOOK.......2007-05-02

While this DVD does have some B&W footage of Pistol Pete, it is limited. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised
when it clocks in at 65 min. A good deal of the disc is the author talking to another guy about Pete. The footage
they have obtained isn't the most flattering, though on occasion you do see glimpses of his star power. I hope
one day we can really have a decent video of the Pistol.

Average customer rating:

Excellent movie
The best actor!
Addiction:
Awful
the basketball diaries

The Basketball Diaries
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio , Lorraine Bracco , Marilyn Sokol , James Madio , and Patrick McGaw
Director: Scott Kalvert
Manufacturer: Palm Pictures / Umvd
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

This Boy's Life
The Beach
Total Eclipse
Drugstore Cowboy
Marvin's Room

ASIN: 6305003882
Release Date: 1998-06-30

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Excellent movie.......2007-06-27

Leonardo DiCaprio is outstanding in this coming of age drama. A must see for the young and old alike.

The best actor!.......2007-06-13

This movie is amazing, the talented Mr. Dicaprio really gave an outstanding performance

Addiction:.......2007-03-12

This is a powerful video regarding the depths to which one may fall due to addiction. Well acted, and moving.

Awful.......2007-03-11

the basketball diaries.......2007-01-11

I love that movie it has heart and soul about one young man.

Average customer rating:

Excellent movie
The best actor!
Addiction:
Awful
the basketball diaries

The Basketball Diaries
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio , Lorraine Bracco , Marilyn Sokol , James Madio , and Patrick McGaw
Director: Scott Kalvert
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

This Boy's Life
The Beach
Total Eclipse
Drugstore Cowboy
Marvin's Room

ASIN: B00009MECF
Release Date: 2003-07-29

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Excellent movie.......2007-06-27

Leonardo DiCaprio is outstanding in this coming of age drama. A must see for the young and old alike.

The best actor!.......2007-06-13

This movie is amazing, the talented Mr. Dicaprio really gave an outstanding performance

Addiction:.......2007-03-12

This is a powerful video regarding the depths to which one may fall due to addiction. Well acted, and moving.

Awful.......2007-03-11

the basketball diaries.......2007-01-11

I love that movie it has heart and soul about one young man.

Average customer rating:

Excellent movie
The best actor!
Addiction:
Awful
the basketball diaries

The Basketball Diaries [Region 2]
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio , Lorraine Bracco , Marilyn Sokol , James Madio , and Patrick McGaw
Director: Scott Kalvert
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

This Boy's Life
The Beach
Total Eclipse
Drugstore Cowboy
Marvin's Room

ASIN: B00004RYQS

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Excellent movie.......2007-06-27

Leonardo DiCaprio is outstanding in this coming of age drama. A must see for the young and old alike.

The best actor!.......2007-06-13

This movie is amazing, the talented Mr. Dicaprio really gave an outstanding performance

Addiction:.......2007-03-12

This is a powerful video regarding the depths to which one may fall due to addiction. Well acted, and moving.

Awful.......2007-03-11

the basketball diaries.......2007-01-11

I love that movie it has heart and soul about one young man.

Average customer rating:

The Basketball Diaries [Region 2]
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio , Lorraine Bracco , Marilyn Sokol , James Madio , and Patrick McGaw
Director: Scott Kalvert
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Average customer rating:

The Basketball Diaries [Region 2]
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio , Lorraine Bracco , Marilyn Sokol , James Madio , and Patrick McGaw
Director: Scott Kalvert
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Average customer rating:

Excellent movie
The best actor!
Addiction:
Awful
the basketball diaries

The Basketball Diaries [Region 2]
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio , Lorraine Bracco , Marilyn Sokol , James Madio , and Patrick McGaw
Director: Scott Kalvert
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD