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Martin Scorsese's "The Wolf of Wall Street" is hitting Blue-ray. Those who missed the adaptation of Jordan Belfort's memoir would have the chance to see what made this film a critical and commercial success.

Jordan Belfort aspired to make it big in Wall Street, and he did. At the height of his (professional) success, money was no longer an issue to him. He also had a sumptuous home and a trophy wife to boast. But he did it at the expense of his unsuspecting customers, whose only fault was they were too eager to earn big bucks. He was caught, but he had a chance to go away and enjoy his riches. But success went to his head. He may also find it hard to let go of his partying lifestyle in Stratton Oakmont, which he founded. He was charged for stock swindling, the evidence shown how good he was. Scorsese's depiction of Belfort polarized viewers, as he was Robin Hood to his employees. He was also pictured as a keen student, learning early on that it doesn't pay to be a goody two shoes in the Big Apple.

The Academy-Award winning filmmaker used black humor to depict Belfort's rise and fall. It happened during the 1990s, which shouldn't be interpreted as a reflection of the era. Belfort's case mustn't be a warning, as most of the characters were unsympathetic. He may be a new man, having turned a page when he became a motivational speaker, but there were some doubters, believing that he may go back to his old ways. After all, he seemed unrepentant in his memoir.

Scorsese assembled a winning cast, deserving of a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Ensemble. Leonardo Di Caprio received an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Belfort, a daunting task. Belfort was a hated fellow, but the star of "Titanic" showed his funny side whenever his character was on a high. (Buster Keaton came to mind on one scene.) Jonah Hill was a revealation, playing Belfort's best buddy. It was loosely based from the real character, whose name wasn't used because he reportedly threatened the producers to bring them to court if they did. The supporting cast was no less brilliant, from Matthew McConaughey to Kyle Chandler.

For Scorsese, this adaptation was another triumph in his storied career. He directed some his best works during the 1970s, but the Academy Award eluded him. It finally came in 2007, when he remade "Infernal Affairs", a Hong Kong feature by Andrew Lau and Andrew Mak.

Here is his filmography:

1967: Who's That Knocking at My Door

1972: Boxcar Bertha

1973: Mean Streets

1974: Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore

1976: Taxi Driver

1977: New York, New York

1980: Raging Bull

1983: The King of Comedy

1985: After Hours

1986: The Color of Money

1988: The Last Temptation of Christ

1990: Goodfellas

1991: Cape Fear

1993: The Age of Innocence

1995: Casino

1997: Kundun

1999: Bringing Out the Dead

2002: Gangs of New York

2004: The Aviator

2006: The Departed

2010: Shutter Island

2011: Hugo