JFK Assassination: Is the Zapruder Film Faked?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Andre
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Film
Click For Summary
The discussion centers around the authenticity of the Zapruder film, which documents the assassination of JFK. Participants express skepticism about the film's integrity, citing various anomalies such as discrepancies in the behavior of bystanders, the appearance of objects like street signs and lampposts, and the movement of JFK's head after being shot. Some argue that these inconsistencies suggest possible tampering or editing of the film, while others maintain that the film's details align with a single shooter theory. The conversation also touches on the implications of conspiracy theories surrounding JFK's assassination, with some participants expressing a belief in a broader conspiracy while others focus strictly on the film's evidence. The debate emphasizes the need for high-quality sources when analyzing the film, as many claims are based on lower-quality versions that may distort the visual information. Overall, the discussion reflects a mix of skepticism, analysis of visual evidence, and the complexities of interpreting historical events.
  • #31
Andre said:
It's not about bullet theories, it's about people behind the car being much larger than the people in the car.

A zoom lens will sometimes create that effect.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #32
I don't see any effect of the people being larger behind the cars. Compare their head sizes, Jackie's is always larger than theirs. So is the poilceman on motorcycle.
 
  • #33
Great, I checked out the high def version of the Zapruder film and watched it go back and forth continuously... wishing life was as simple... then I checked out the Stemmons Freeway sign and lamppost theory and overlapped the two compositions in my head. If the sign is not pasted in... (which was hollywood's craft and it wouldn't have been easy to find a movie artisan who was willing to cover up JFK's true assassin) the sign provides cover for something that has bothered JFK. As he emerges from behind the sign both arms are up in agitation and his wife is wondering what's wrong. Then the second hit comes to JFK's head.

It may just be coincidental convenience that the sign hides the first hit and it may be that it is placed to hide the angle etc... of the hit. Either way, you guys lost a great leader to someone who didn't take voting as the way to change a government.

If you compare the stills with the film you can see quite a few people up behind the grassy knoll, behind the white enclosure. One in particular stands out in a beige overcoat that is unusually pregnant with something under it. I've been in Dallas and the weather there never struck me as "overcoat" material.
 
  • #34
Two little things on this

First, if you want to discuss the Zapruder film, you must get the copy released as "Image of An Assassination"--- this is the ONLY copy on Earth made by going back to the original print, and taking photos of each frame as 5cmX5cm high-resolution slides. There are four versions on the DVD-- one of which shows the "never seen" area in between the sprocket holes on the left-hand side, and two of which were assembled using Kennedy's head as the centering point, instead of the frame edges (removes camera and shutter shake).

If you haven't seen this material, then you might as well discuss a drawing of the film made by someone who saw it once, somewhere--- the difference is nothing short of earth-shattering. THEN you can make your analysis and conclusions.

As just one little example of this; recall how Kennedy raises both hands towards his throat after the first hit? Well, from the versions I had always seen before ("high-quality" or no), it looked like he was actually touching his throat--- and I could never tell for sure either way. Well, watching this version there is absolutely NO question--- his hands are both at least six inches from his throat. That's just one example of what this kind of clarity does for your examination--- based on that one observation I later found out that it is characteristic of bullet injuries high on the back--- those muscle movements are, for the most part, involuntary reactions to the muscle trauma.

Just one other little point that stood out to me, and shows the difference between this and other versions of the film you may have seen--- BOTH the victims are completely free of the Stebbins Freeway sign when the shot that hits both of them comes along--- most people think it happened when they're still behind the sign. It most emphatically did not; and seeing it clearly will also permantently set your mind at ease about the question of whether or not it was a single bullet--- it was; and you can see them both react to it in the same instant of time... it's like a bee suddenly zipped through the car, they both jerk convulsively at the impact.

I will leave you to make your own observations and conclusions, but please--- do get ahold of the best source material. You're just spinning conjectures with anything less. Especially these fine points about scissoring legs and whatnot... you simply will not be able to tell for sure what you're seeing otherwise.

The issue of provenance or "doctoring" of the film I will not address here; suffice it to say that ANY analysis made off of a YouTube video (compression artifacts, anyone?) is back in "my kid saw it once and made me a very accurate drawing with crayons" land.

The provenance of the video I'm discussing here is discussed, at length, on the DVD--- make of it what you will.

The other point I'd like to make, seperately, has to do with the existence (or non-existence) of a "grassy knoll shooter," but perhaps now is not the time. I know this is one of 'those issues' that people get very passionate about, and my goal here is merely to elevate the debate by encouraging the use of the best possible source material. I believe, though, that I've discovered a very compelling reason why, second shooter or no, there is virtually no possibility any firearm was discharged from the 'fence' area on the grassy knoll.

If anyone's interested in hearing about that, just ask...
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
811
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
288
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
1K
Replies
5
Views
3K
Replies
35
Views
4K
  • · Replies 24 ·
Replies
24
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
3K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
1K