Would the BT answer all your questions?

Do you think if the Basement Tapes were released, you'd have all the answers to so many questions from this shooting?

No, not really, because a lot of the questions I have are about the Cafeteria bombs, events that happened during the actual shooting and the suicides. I don't think The Basement Tapes would answer much, really. I am interested in seeing them to see how Dylan and Eric interacted with each other for real, not acting (like in their home videos).

I think they would lead to even more questions, especially as Jenn notes about what the dynamics of Eric and Dylan's relationship REALLY were in private, not when they were mugging for the camera. I remember reading somewhere, maybe in Cullen (gasp!) that the setup of the filming of the BTs was like the set of a late-night talk show. I think the BTs would actually be pretty amusing when I wouldn't be rolling my eyes at the specifics rants against all their teenaged enemies, real and imagined. That being said, I'm sure most of us here would give our right arm to be able to view them in their entirety.

I only would like to watch the basement tapes to also see the dynamic between them, the way they were with each other because everything said is already know and I have more questions about the shooting when it was happening, I would like to know more what is myth or a lie and what is true, and I even would like to know more about what happened minutes later before the suicides but I think that its kind of impossible. The only thing that intrigues me about the basement tapes is about how they look and how they talk with each other and even hear the tone of their voices while they were talking, like when they were saying goodbye to their friends and parents or when they were talking about some girls (Rachel and Jen) and Jesus

Nope, the tapes wouldn't answer every single question. Nothing short of multiple conversations with Eric and Dylan themselves would answer my questions, so I have made my peace with the fact that I will never know some of the things I want to know. I would want to see the tapes to be able to explore the dynamic between the two in minute detail, as everyone else has also mentioned, and to see their expressions and hear their voices when talking about certain things. It's a pity we don't have any videos of them interacting as friends, although I think the end of Radioactive Clothing comes very close to the actual friendship vibe, and I'd love to see how they were when it was just the two of them in one room. I think it'd be amusing, concerning and enraging all at once.. but the tapes would answer very little overall. (They are one of the biggest parts of the puzzle I personally miss, alongside the files from Eric's therapist, because my interest mostly goes out to the psyches of the boys and their friendship.)

The BTs would certainly fill in a lot of blanks. Much of it would be D & E putting on a show for their aghast future audience.  However, there would be glimmers of what the two were genuinely like together.  I recall there is a part where one of them knocks over a (soda) pop can and they scramble to clean it up like good boys.  I can just see Eric being really proactive to clean up the mess because he wouldn't want to piss off his parents.  Also, Dylan keeps warning Eric to lower his voice as his mom 'can hear a bat breath'.   So, I suppose we could see their dynamics and whether the boys appear to often or partially relate to one another as equals.  And, of course, all the Beavis & Butthead type teenage boy silliness where they're burping and gufawing between swigs of Jack Daniels and then abruptly switching back into their Dr. Evil personas spewing their NBK annihilation plans.

As thedragonrampant mentioned, the tail end of Radioactive Clothing is a good glimpse of how the two react partially out of their video production roles.  I think the body language between the two when Eric mentions "hey, you notice we're wearing different shirts?" and how Dylan stands back and folds his arms playfully and Eric's body language in response is flirtation - shows them improvising bits as just themselves as friends and their style of wit and humor.  And of course, the very end of the clip where Dylan bounces behind Eric as they walk to his car, mentioning that he was "trying not to laugh.." at Eric's FAIL attempt at lighting his cigarette.  Oh, to have just a smidge more of that clip!

I also think we can glean quite a bit about their interaction from this vid - especially if you close your eyes and listen to the two of them casually talking and interacting one-on-one throughout bits of it.   It's eerie as you almost feel like you're a fly on the wall listening to their casual banter!

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

To me, the Carwax Commercial demonstrates how Eric can be rather bossy and impatient with Dylan on occasion.  You can see a bit of a power struggle between the two of them as they openly bicker quite loudly like an old married couple. ;)  Eric strong arms his friend, snapping "Dylan, shut up!" in front of everyone and then proceeds to assume the "I'm The Boss" role, directing Dylan just how far back or forward Dylan needs to stand, etc.  At the tail end, you see Dylan come up and bash the bike one more time with the baseball bat as Eric is walking up to him.  Personally, I think shy Dylan is interalizing, pissed at being made a puppet for the show.  It's a really good personal dynamics snapshot.  

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

But the hours of footage the BTs would provide would really flesh out the picture.   It wouldn't answer "all" questions but pretty damn near as much "all" as we'll ever get.   While some of our questions would be answered many new ones would arise.  It certainly would be enlightening and helpful if Nate, Zach or Chris decided to openly talk about their infamous friends giving anecdotal accounts and their opinions about certain situations in their own close interactions between the two.  However... fat chance that's ever going to happen!

Nope, notall , but it would give an interesting insight to the real Eric and Dylan - all by themselves. I imagine they would seem far more different alone then how they were on the videos that are available. I want to especially see the tape on the morning of the massacre.