The Basketball Diaries (1995)

Director:

Scott Kalvert

Writers (WGA):

Jim Carroll (based on the novel by)
Bryan Goluboff (screenplay)

Release Date:

21 April 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Crime | Drama | Sport

Tagline:

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

Plot:

Film adaptation of street tough Jim Carroll's epistle about his kaleidoscopic free fall into the harrowing world of drug addiction...

Plot Keywords:

Basketball | Street | Drug | Friend | Addiction

US TV Schedule:

Sun. Dec. 13

3:00 AM

TMC

Cast

Leonardo DiCaprio	...	Jim Carroll
Lorraine Bracco	...	Jim's Mother
Marilyn Sokol	...	Chanting Woman
James Madio	...	Pedro
Patrick McGaw	...	Neutron
Mark Wahlberg	...	Mickey
Roy Cooper	...	Father McNulty
Vincent Pastore	...	Construction Worker (as Vinnie Pastore)
Bruno Kirby	...	Swifty
Jimmy Papiris	...	Iggy
Nick Gaetani	...	Referee #1
Alexander Chaplin	...	Bobo (as Alexander Gaberman)
Ben Jorgensen	...	Tommy
Josh Mostel	...	Counterman
Juliette Lewis	...	Diane Moody
Michael Imperioli	...	Bobby
Akiko Ashley	...	Stripper
Ernie Hudson	...	Reggie
Manny Alfaro	...	Manny
Cynthia Daniel	...	Winkie
Brittany Daniel	...	Blinkie
Eric Betts	...	Drug Dealer #1
Joyce R. Korbin	...	Mugging Victim
Barton Heyman	...	Confessional Priest
Lawrence Barth	...	Referee #2
Gary Iorio	...	Policeman
Toby Huss	...	Kenny
Jim Carroll	...	Frankie Pinewater (as James Dennis Carroll)
William Webb	...	JuJu Johnson
John C. Vennema	...	Mr. Rubin (as John Vennema)
Michael Rapaport	...	Skinhead
Doc Dougherty	...	Policeman
John Hoyt	...	Billy the Bartender
Manny Siverio	...	Pino
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alex Ballar	...	Basketball player (uncredited)
Brian Ferrari	...	St. Vitus Student (uncredited)
Tom Fitzpatrick	...	The 'John' in the subway (uncredited)
Mary Ann Hannon	...	Head Nurse (uncredited)
Gus Scharr	...	Priest (uncredited)

Directed by
Scott Kalvert

Writing credits (WGA)
Jim Carroll		(based on the novel by)
Bryan Goluboff		(screenplay)

Produced by
Chris Blackwell	....	executive producer
Dan Genetti	....	executive producer
Liz Heller	....	producer
Kathie Hersch	....	line producer
John Bard Manulis	....	producer

Original Music by
Graeme Revell

Cinematography by
David Phillips		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Dana Congdon

Casting by
Avy Kaufman

Production Design by
Christopher Nowak

Set Decoration by
Harriet Zucker

Costume Design by
David C. Robinson

Makeup Department
Verne Caruso	....	hair stylist
Diane Hammond	....	makeup artist
Sharyn Pierson	....	additional makeup artist (as Sharyn Cordice Pierson)
Gina G. Riggi	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Diana Schmidt	....	unit production manager (as Diana D. Schmidt)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert C. Albertell	....	second assistant director
David C. Dean	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Jacqueline Arnot	....	set dresser
James R. Bilz	....	prop master
Nancy G. Blake	....	assistant prop master
Beth Coiner	....	art department intern
David Cooney	....	storyboard artist
Glen Engels	....	construction grip (as Glen K. Engels)
Ralph Fratianni	....	construction grip
Andrew Gangloff	....	shop craftsman (as Andrew George Gangloff)
George Hugel	....	carpenter (as George A. Hugel)
Jerry Kadar	....	set dresser
Ivan McDonald	....	art department coordinator
Fred Merusi	....	construction coordinator
Timothy Metzger	....	leadman (as Timothy M. Metzger)
Don Nace	....	scenic (as Don R. Nace)
Arne Olsen	....	key construction grip
Harriet Zucker	....	artwork
Jeffrey Rollins	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Beau Biggart	....	adr mixer
Tammy Blake	....	sound assistant
Paul B. Clay	....	supervising sound editor (as Paul Clay)
Patricia Conaway Lamberti	....	sound assistant (as Patricia Conaway)
Larry Hoki	....	sound recordist
David J. Hudson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Victor Iorillo	....	co-supervising sound editor
Victor Iorillo	....	sound designer
Jerry Jacobson	....	dialogue editor
Susan Kurtz	....	sound effects editor
George Leong	....	boom operator
Bill Mellow	....	foley mixer
Ken Miller	....	dialogue editor
Sina Oroomchi	....	foley mixer
Patrick O'Sullivan	....	dialogue editor
Jeffrey Perkins	....	supervising re-recording mixer
Cindy Rabideau	....	dialogue editor
William Sarokin	....	sound mixer
Joe Schwartz	....	sound assistant
Shane Shemko	....	foley walker
Pat Somerset	....	adr editor
Lauren Stephens	....	dialogue editor
Daniel Tripoli	....	sound effects editor (as Dan Tripoli)
Cam Wagner	....	foley walker

Special Effects by
J.C. Brotherhood	....	rain effects
Wilfred Caban	....	special effects assistant
Steven Kirshoff	....	special effects coordinator (as Steve Kirshoff)

Visual Effects by
Charles L. Finance	....	opticals: Title House (as Chuck Finance)

Stunts
Jay Lee Carrado	....	stunt player
Bob Colletti	....	stunt player
Donald John Hewitt	....	stunt player
Danny Cosmo Higginbottom	....	stunt player (as Danny 'Cosmo' Higgenbottom)
Todd Michael	....	stunt player
Edgard Mourino	....	stunt coordinator
Jon Rothstein	....	stunt player
David Shumbris	....	stunt player
Danny Cosmo Higginbottom	....	stunt double: Leonardo DiCaprio (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
K.C. Bailey	....	unit still photographer
Michael Berg	....	gaffer
Mike Bicknell	....	best boy electric (as Michael Bicknell)
Robert Blair	....	additional electric (as Bob Blair)
James Boniece	....	additional grip (as Jim Boniece)
Maria Calvaruso	....	camera trainee
John Clifford	....	unit still photographer
Patrick Cousins	....	electric (as Pat Cousins)
Mark Egyud	....	generator operator
Neil Fallon	....	video playback operator (as M. Neil Fallon)
Scott Fleischer	....	lighting and grip equipment: General Camera
Charles Goodman	....	additional grip (as Charlie Goodman)
Jonathan Graham	....	additional grip
Hardwick Johnson	....	camera equipment: Panavision, Camera Service Center
Bill Klayer	....	gaffer (as William Klayer)
Charlie Marroquin	....	dolly grip (as Charles Marroquin)
Rick Marroquin	....	third grip
Gary Martone	....	key grip
Jim McConkey	....	Steadicam operator
Jim McConkey	....	camera operator
Monique Mitchell	....	best boy grip
Phil Oetiker	....	additional camera operator
Mike Reed	....	best boy electric (as Michael Reed)
Jim Richards	....	electric
Vince J. Vennitti	....	second assistant camera
Howard Weiner	....	video playback operator
Alan Wolfe	....	first assistant camera
Susan Gabbay	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Rick Lamb	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Brian Lataille	....	steadicam operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Byron Crystal	....	extras casting
Diane Silverstadt	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jill E. Anderson	....	wardrobe supervisor
Joan Kaufman	....	assistant to costume designer: David C. Robinson
Dalhia Schuette	....	wardrobe production assistant
Wendy Van Dyke	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Brian Berdan	....	additional editor
Bob Kaiser	....	color timer
Jon Miles	....	post-production: studio, T.H.E. Tools
James Dean Schulte	....	second assistant editor (as Jim Schulte)
Boyd Steer	....	negative cutter
Tim Sternberg	....	assistant editor
Michael Trull	....	post-production assistant

Music Department
Kristen Becht	....	assistant to music supervisor
Billy Gottlieb	....	music coordinator
Salvadore Poe	....	featured performer: guitars (as Paul DiBartolo)
Karyn Rachtman	....	music supervisor
Dan Wallin	....	scoring mixer
Joshua Winget	....	music editor (as Joshua Wingett)
Brian Williams	....	music designer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Bobby Alberga	....	driver (as Robert Alberga)
William Baker	....	transportation co-captain
Joseph Irwin	....	driver
Robert Johnson	....	driver (as Robert L. Johnson)
Brian Maxwell	....	transportation captain (as Brian P. Maxwell)
George Nadramia Jr.	....	driver
Joseph Paprota	....	driver (as Joseph Paprotta)
Donald Sweeney	....	driver
Thomas J. Walsh	....	driver (as Thomas Walsh)

Other crew
Selena Adams	....	set intern
Trish Adlesic	....	assistant location manager
Chad Auchincloss	....	set intern
Greg Brandt	....	caterer: Greg's Gourmet
Kristen Buckley	....	set production assistant
Rosemary Carroll	....	legal services: Codikow & Carroll (as Rosemary Carroll Esq.)
Mitchell Cassel	....	contact lenses (as Dr. Mitchell Cassell)
Camille Cerullo	....	assistant auditor
Camille Cerullo	....	post-production auditor
Sam Chwat	....	dialogue coach
David Codikow	....	legal services: Codikow & Carroll (as David Codikow Esq.)
David Codikow	....	legal services: Codikow & Carroll (as David Codikow, Esq.)
Eddy Collyns	....	location manager
Brandon Colton	....	craft service assistant
Jenny Cottle	....	production coordinator: Los Angeles
Deborah Cowan	....	craft service assistant
Delroy Dally	....	parking assistant
Shirley Davis	....	assistant coordinator
Sam Dickerman	....	assistant to producers: Los Angeles
Eric 'Rock' Eisenberg	....	basketball technical advisor
Stacy Fass	....	legal services: Codikow & Carroll (as Stacy Fass Esq.)
Kerin Ferallo	....	assistant to producers: New York
David 'Flip' Filippi	....	key production assistant
Charles L. Finance	....	titles: Title House (as Chuck Finance)
Leigh French	....	adr group coordinator
Michele Giordano	....	production coordinator
Kennen E. Gudjonsson	....	set intern
Cassandra Han	....	technical assistant
Allison R. Hebble	....	office intern (as Allison Hebble)
Jude Aubrey Hindle	....	craft service
Lys Hopper	....	prep location manager
James A. Janowitz	....	legal services: Pryor, Cashman, Sherman & Flynn (as James A. Janowitz Esq.)
Jon M. Johnson	....	parking coordinator (as Jon M. 'Hoops' Johnson)
Roger Kass	....	legal services: Pryor, Cashman, Sherman & Flynn (as Roger E. Kass Esq.)
Lisa Katcher	....	script supervisor
Beth Katz	....	set intern
Susan Labunski	....	location assistant
Molly Lewis	....	set intern
Thomas Andrew Marzulli	....	office production assistant
Jim W. McFarland	....	additional production assistant
Mike Mirkin	....	safety diver: Divers Unlimited (as Michael Mirkin)
Karim Murad	....	assistant parking coordinator
John Murphy	....	unit publicist
Carlos Oliver	....	assistant: Mark Wahlberg
Terry Ostrow	....	set production assistant (as Terri Ostrow)
Matthew D. Panepinto	....	additional production assistant (as Matthew Panepinto)
Tom Penketh	....	office intern
Erin Quinn	....	production auditor (as Erin C. Quinn)
Andrea Rapke	....	set production assistant
Terry 't-bone' Rhodes	....	location scout (as Terry 'T-Bone' Rhodes)
Edwin Rivera	....	parking assistant
Karen Robson	....	legal services: Pryor, Cashman, Sherman & Flynn (as Karen Robson Esq.)
Marcia Rutledge	....	insurance: RHH Ruben
Andrew Saxe	....	assistant location manager
Lori Seidner	....	additional production assistant (as Lori C. Seidner)
Betsy Shankin	....	additional production assistant
Heidi Topper	....	location scout
Juliet Traum	....	office intern
Cass Vanini	....	additional production assistant
Peter Villega	....	parking assistant
Junior Webb	....	assistant to director
Eric Weinstein	....	technical advisor: research (as Eric L. 'E-Factor' Weinstein)
Elizabeth Westrate	....	second assistant coordinator
Lisa Goldman	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Matthew Huffman	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Mark Burg	....	special thanks
Joanne Burnham	....	special thanks
Marty Diamond	....	special thanks
Naomi Donne	....	special thanks
Phil Downey	....	special thanks
Ann Dubinet	....	special thanks
John Dyzcko	....	special thanks (as John)
Leon Dyzcko	....	special thanks
Anthony Falco	....	special thanks: the Hoboken Police Department (as Lt. Anthony Falco)
Bruce Feinberg	....	special thanks: Director, New York State Governor's Office For Motion Pictures And Television Development
Charles Gambetta	....	special thanks (as Charlie Gambetta)
Gary Gersh	....	special thanks
Marybeth Hagner	....	special thanks (as Mary Beth Hagner)
Sonia Kalvert	....	special thanks
Nancy Lund	....	special thanks
Milton Maldonado	....	special thanks: the Special Operations Division Unit Of The New York City Police Department (as Lt. Maldonado)
Bob Mastronardi	....	special thanks
Ricardo Mazal	....	special thanks
Lenny Messitte	....	special thanks: Forest Hills High School
Larry Mestel	....	special thanks
Alberto Montano	....	special thanks
Peter Nichols	....	special thanks
Tom O'Donnell Jr.	....	special thanks
Alfred Pariser	....	special thanks
John Penotti	....	special thanks
Jane Raab	....	special thanks
Lisa Rafel	....	special thanks
Pat Scanlon	....	special thanks (as Patricia Scanlon)
Craig Seti	....	special thanks
Rea Ann Silva	....	special thanks
Bryan Unger	....	special thanks (as G. Bryan Unger)
Joe Violante	....	special thanks (as Joey Violante)
Ben Whittaker	....	special thanks
Melissa Zacker	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• New Line Cinema (presents)
• Island Pictures

Distributors

• New Line Cinema (1995) (USA) (theatrical)
• Asmik Ace Entertainment (1996) (Japan) (theatrical)
• EDKO Film (1996) (Hong Kong) (theatrical)
• Laurenfilm (1996) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Roadshow Entertainment (1996) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1996) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI) (1996) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• First Independent Films (2000) (UK) (DVD) (as First Independent Video)
• Flashstar Home Vídeo (1996) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Flashstar Home Vídeo (1998) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Palm Pictures (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Palm Pictures (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• PolyGram Video (1998) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• PolyGram Video (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• PolyGram Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Roadshow Entertainment Video (1996) (Australia) (VHS)
• SF Video (1996) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Vivendi Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Title House (opticals)

Other Companies

• Adidas  special thanks
• Antonucci Catering  caterer
• Axium Payroll Services  payroll
• B. Voland International  international publicity
• Botany 500  special thanks
• Camera Service Center  camera equipment: Panavision
• City of Hoboken  special thanks
• Clay Digital Sound  sound editorial
• Coast Council of I.A.T.S.E. (East)  special thanks (as The East Coast Council Of The IATSE)
• Codikow & Carroll  legal services
• Divers Unlimited  safety divers
• Dv8 Video  DF/X graphics
• Film Finance  completion bond (as Film Finances)
• Forest Hills High School  special thanks
• General Camera Corporation  lighting and grip equipment (as General Camera)
• Greg's Gourmet  caterer
• Haggar  special thanks (as Haggar Apparel Company)
• Hoboken Police Department, The  special thanks
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.®)
• International Recording  re-recording by (as International Recording Corporation)
• Island Records  original motion picture soundtrack (as Island Compact Discs And Cassettes)
• Just The Best Travel  special thanks
• Kathy & Ellis Medical Production  medics and nurse (as Kathy & Ellis Medical Production Company)
• Kodak Motion Picture Film  produced on
• Lightworks (II)  edited on
• Magno Sound and Video  sound and video dailies (as Magno Sound And Video New York)
• New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theater & Broadcasting, The  special thanks
• New York Police Department (NYPD)  special thanks
• New York State Governor's Office for Motion Picture & Television Development  special thanks
• Olivett & Campbell  caterer
• Park Bench Productions  special thanks
• Penguin Putnam Books  copyright owner: "Blood Bridge" & "Little Ode On St. Anne's Day" from Fear Of Dreaming: Selected Poems Of Jim Carroll © 1993 (as Penguin Books)
• Pryor Cashman Sherman & Flynn  legal services (as Pryor, Cashman, Sherman & Flynn)
• RHH/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services  insurance (as RHH Ruben)
• Rachel McCallister & Associates  publicity
• Residents of East 9th Street & East 11th Street  special thanks
• T.H.E. Tools  post-production facilities
• The Pogachefsky Company  publicity
• Title House  titles
• Zippo Lighters  special thanks (as Zippo)

Also Known As:

Streets of New York (International: English title) (video title)

MPAA:

Rated R for graphic depiction of drug addiction with related strong violence,sexuality and language.

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Australia:MA (cable rating) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (British Columbia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia) | Portugal:M/16 | Finland:K-15 (video rating) | New Zealand:R16 | Canada:14A (DVD rating) | Australia:R | Germany:12 (bw) | Norway:15 | Singapore:R(A) | South Korea:(Banned) (original rating) | South Korea:18 (re-rating) (cut) | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R (NO. 33624) | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Forest Hills High School, Forest Hills, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

Stephen Lang was offered the role of Jim's Basketball Coach named Swifty in the script. Lang declined citing the misrepresentation of the book in the script. The part was subsequently toned down as a result.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: A marquee sign in the background reports "Two US helicopters down over Iraq" in what is supposed to be the 1960s.

Quotes:

Jim Carroll: [narrating] When I was young, about eight or so, I tried making friends with God by inviting Him to my house to watch the World Series. He never showed.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Butterfly Effect (2004)

Soundtrack:

Strawberry Wine

Very powerfull statement against drugs.

I think 'The basketball diaries' is a realistic and very important movie. It shows the road that one walks to being addicted to drugs. From taking dope once a week to taking dope every day, every hour. Leonardo DiCaprio playes a basketballplayer, a schoolkid(Jim Carrol) who walks this path. He experiments with drugs 'till there is no way back. He gets himself in all kinds of stupid situations. He starts robbing stores, ripping off money from old ladies just to get some cash for dope. His life is beginning to look like a living hell. His basketballcoach wants to have sex with him, and when he passes out on the basketballfield due to taking a wrong kind of 'pep-pil', he gets kicked out of the basketball team and from school. From this moment on everything goes in a downward spiral for DiCaprio.

An excellent scenario you would say, and it is. The acting from DiCaprio is great. We saw it earlier on in his career when he got oscar-nominated for 'What's eating gilbert grape'. A gripping drama in which he playes a disabled kid. But in 'The basketball diaries' he playes an equally difficult part. Not a lot actors would have put down this kid who's life is wrecked, and who is constantly thinking about dope as well as DiCaprio did.

The statement the movie delivers is a powerfull one. Being addicted to drugs is horrible. Usually people learn about this aspect trough seminars or televisonshows such as Oprah Winfrey. But it never really gets the kind of attention and understanding from the audience as 'The Basketball diaries' delivers.

The amazing performance by DiCaprio, the fact that this movie is actually based on a true story and the reality the movie is set in, 'The basketball diaries' deserves a 9 out of 10.