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The home videos Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold made prior to the shootings of April 20th, 1999, have been the focus of much attention over the years. There are several that have been identified, though not all have been released. The Basement Tapes are the most notorious of the unreleased videos: In the gunmen's Hitmen for Hire video (originally titled Revenge for Hire), the boys played the part of hitmen-for-hire who would exact revenge on bullies. They were the men in black that geeks, outcasts, nerds, and other picked-on souls could turn to in order to take care of antagonists who were harassing them and making their lives hell. In the film, Dylan and Eric run around in their black trench coats and wearing cool sunglasses, taking out the 'bad guys' — the bullies. The video is reminiscent of Pulp Fiction, but I can't help seeing April 20, 1999 in the film — particularly since it was filmed at Columbine High.
Columbine junior Eric Veik played the bullied teen who hired Klebold and Harris. Junior Michael Vendegnia played the bully. Eric Veik had the Basement Tapes and the tape that had Hitmen for Hire on it in his possession when the shooting started. The video tapes were in his backpack, which he left at his desk when the fire alarm went off because he thought it was a drill. When he spoke with investigators about the videos, he asked them to keep them out of the hands of the media because he didn't want them to be an influence on the way the world saw Harris and Klebold. Even though Veik was a friend of Rachel Scott and knew the gunmen had killed her, he still believed they both had good, creative, redeemable sides to them that shouldn't be lost in the violent acts they committed.
Hitmen for Hire - Full video.
Driving around Denver - Additional footage.
Driving around Denver - Additional footage.
From Driving around Denver video:
Dylan: We've got to SAVE this RETARDED BOY!
The following lines are all from one scene in Hitmen for Hire, wherein a picked-on student is talking to the 'hitmen', Dylan and Eric, getting information about hiring them to protect him.
Student: I'll pay anything!
Eric: All right. It's twenty dollars a day in school. You know we can't have any weapons on school grounds.
Student: Th-that's fine! I'll-- I'll get 'em off the property!
Eric: All right. We'll protect you on school [sic]. Take away any bullies that are pickin' on you. Whatever. And off school grounds we could relocate this person. That'd be a thousand dollars.
Student: Thank you SO much!
Dylan: We've got to SAVE this RETARDED BOY!
The following lines are all from one scene in Hitmen for Hire, wherein a picked-on student is talking to the 'hitmen', Dylan and Eric, getting information about hiring them to protect him.
Student: I'll pay anything!
Eric: All right. It's twenty dollars a day in school. You know we can't have any weapons on school grounds.
Student: Th-that's fine! I'll-- I'll get 'em off the property!
Eric: All right. We'll protect you on school [sic]. Take away any bullies that are pickin' on you. Whatever. And off school grounds we could relocate this person. That'd be a thousand dollars.
Student: Thank you SO much!
