The ball is finally in high-definition court. It’s a shame the game is missing a few players, but the main action has never been clearer.
For years, fans of Jim Carroll’s searing autobiographical work and admirers of Leonardo DiCaprio’s most visceral early performance had to make do with grainy full-screen DVD transfers or standard definition digital copies. That finally changed with the release of The Basketball Diaries on Blu-ray. While it hasn’t received the lavish 4K treatment given to DiCaprio’s later films with Scorsese, the existing Blu-ray editions (primarily from Lionsgate in the US and various international distributors) offer a significant and long-overdue upgrade. the basketball diaries blu ray
(8.5/10 for video/audio; 4/10 for supplements) The ball is finally in high-definition court
The Basketball Diaries on Blu-ray is a classic case of "the movie is the special feature." The upgrade in picture and sound is substantial enough to retire any DVD copy. However, fans desperate for context, behind-the-scenes stories, or a retrospective documentary will be left wanting. Until a hypothetical 4K boutique release from the likes of Arrow, Criterion, or Kino Lorber arrives (which would likely restore the commentary and add new extras), this Blu-ray is the best the film has ever looked and sounded at home. For DiCaprio fans and 90s indie cinema devotees, it’s a worthy purchase. For casual viewers, a high-definition digital rental will suffice. That finally changed with the release of The