In a world where baseball cards are often traded as mere commodities or childhood nostalgia, there’s an artist who has ever-so-boldly transformed these collectibles into legitimate pieces of art. Enter Dick Perez, a master bridge-builder between the realms of sports and fine art. And now, his exceptional journey has been captured in a documentary titled “The Diamond King.”
Whether you’re someone with an insatiable hunger for baseball lore or someone who basks in the world of exquisite artistry—or perhaps you’re an intriguing meld of the two—this film promises to resonate profoundly with you. Deployed across major streaming platforms such as Apple TV, Prime Video, Google TV, and Kinema, “The Diamond King” invites you to peel back the layers of an artist whose contributions have become woven into the very fabric of baseball history.
Produced by the erudite team of The McCaw and Votiv, the documentary captures the tapestry of Perez’s extraordinary career, tracing the vibrant threads from his earliest days in Puerto Rico right up to his dynamic formative years engrossed in Harlem’s bustling subcultures. Here, his twin passions for baseball and the fine arts sparked and set the course for a career unlike any other.
And who better than actor John Ortiz—familiar to many through his diverse roles in “Will Trent” and “Bad Monkey”—to guide you through this captivating tale? Cognoscenti of Perez’s life, family members, embellishing artists, and more join the narrative, enriching it with their intimate insights and anecdotes. The film thoroughly dissects the work of a maestro whose artistry has become synonymous with the game’s titans.
To the uninitiated, Perez first leapt into the spotlight in the rousing 1980s when he collaborated with Donruss to birth the famed Diamond Kings baseball card series. Far from being mere pixelated snapshots, they became miniature masterpieces, hoisting the status of sports cards from childhood trinkets to the hallowed halls of fine art.
Since his debut, Perez’s artwork has not only beautified the iconic walls of the Baseball Hall of Fame but has also found cherished sanctuaries in private collections and presided over major sporting exhibitions worldwide. It is Perez’s unique style that stamps his work with authenticity—a blend of realism infused with such emotional depth that each piece uncannily renders the athlete as both a formidable player and an interesting human being. His is a body of work—each stroke of the brush a tribute—celebrating baseball’s rich heritage.
Esteemed baseball writer, Steve Kopian, from Unseen Films, encapsulated the sentiment wonderfully: “This film is so good that I suspect that it will end up on endless repeat on the MLB channel for years to come.” And he’s absolutely right. “The Diamond King” is the kind of film that provides an evergreen wellspring of joy and reverence with each viewing.
Are you intrigued? A shiny little preview awaits you. Just a quick click away, “The Diamond King” trailer gives you a glimpse into the immersive world woven by Perez’s art. Should the appetite for more arise, a visit to The Diamond King Movie website enables eager viewers to rent or purchase the film and even ogle Perez’s exclusive array of prints, posters, and cards.
Crafted by the creative connoisseurs at The McCaw, led by visionary director Marq Evans, The Diamond King follows in the innovative footsteps of their previous works. Their notable catalog includes “Claydream” (2022), diving into the enchanting clay-crafted world of Will Vinton, the maestro behind the iconic California Raisins and those quirky M&Ms; and “The Glamour & The Squalor” (2016), an auditory journey with Seattle radio legend Marco Collins, pivotal in cementing grunge as more than just a genre but a way of life.
So whether your heart beats a tad faster at the crackling sound of a baseball being hit or you delight in art’s visual symphony, “The Diamond King” offers an irresistible alchemy of both worlds—rendering it a must-watch for both aficionados and casual viewers alike. Transformative, enlightening, and visually arresting, this documentary does more than showcase the brilliance of Dick Perez; it invites the world into a nuanced, artistic appreciation of a timeless sport.
