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The film has been used by the Warren Commission and all followup investigations of the assassination. The Zapruder frames used by the Commission consist of exhibits 889-899 plus exhibits 901 and 902 (totaling less than 1 second of the actual 26.6 second film), published in the commission supporting volume XVIII. Frames of the the film have also been sporadically published in several magazines, and utilized in several movies.

The Zapruder film footage has been deemed "culturally significant" by the United States Library of Congress and was selected for permanent preservation in the National Film Registry.

Some persons claim that only altered versions of the Zapruder film have ever been published. They point to, allegedly, impossible movements by persons in the background and limousine, and irregular limousine signal-light flashing as evidence of film cuts. There are 59 witnesses affidavits that claim the limousine came to a near or complete stop during the shooting, but, the film does not show this, and shows the limousine slowing from 13 miles-per-hour to slightly less than 9 m.p.h. at Z-313 when President Kennedy's head first explodes. Some of these claims are almost occult, finding " golden ratios" in the film frames splicing.([1] "page 2") Others are convinced that the Secret Service copies made the evening of November 22 that are also stored in the United States National Archives are unaltered.[2]

Zapruder's film is probably the clearest and best-known movie of the assassination, and provided us an elevated-above-the-President point of view. It is not the only film that captured President Kennedy's last seconds of his life during the multiple shots. There were at least seven others in Dealy Plaza with home-movie cameras— F. Mark Bell, Charles Bronson (not the actor), Robert J. Hughes, John Martin, Charles Mentesana, Patsy Paschall, Elsie Dorman, Tina Towner, Marie Muchmore, and Orville Nix. Nix's, Muchmore's, and Bronson's films include the fatal shot, and films of Bronson and Hughes show the 6th-floor window of the book depository.[3].

The film advanced through the Director Series Model 414 PD movie camera camera via a spring-wound mechanism at an average tested speed of 18.3 frames-per-second. The entire Dealey Plaza exposed film frames lasts 26.6 seconds, with the presidential limousine assassination sequence lasting 19.3 seconds.

Three copies of the film were made on the evening of 11-22/23-63 for investigative authorities. A documented 9:55 PM CST note (Warren Commission Document, WCD87) written by a PRS special agent Maxwell Phillips that accompanied one of these first-generational film copies states, "According to Mr Zapruder the position of the assassin was behind Mr Zapruder." (behind Zapruder was the location of the grassy knoll and the railroad bridge triple overpass)

Within days Life Magazine purchased the original film and all rights to the film for an initial payment of $25,000, which Abraham Zapruder freely donated to Dallas Policeman Jefferson Davis Tippit's widow and children. Thereafter five annual $25,000 payments were made to Mr. Zapruder by Life.

After acquiring the film, Life made large photo prints of individual frames. Sometime in their possession several film frames were "accidentally damaged." (private copies were made for "Life" executives) Mostly, the film was kept locked away from public scrutiny -printing a few frames of it over the years- and was never publicly shown in motion by "Life" or any of its affiliates, agents, or customers.

In 1966 Dr. Josiah Thompson , while working for Life, tried to negotiate with Life the rights to print important individual frames in a book he wrote, Six Seconds in Dallas . Life refused to approve the use of any frames, even after Thompson offered to give away all profits from the book sales to Life. When Thompson's published book included very photo-like, very detailed charcoal drawings of important individual frames, Life filed a lawsuit against Thompson and his publishing company.

Prior to the 1969 trial of New OrleansNew Orleans is the largest city in the state of Louisiana, United States of America. By law and government, the city of New Orleans and the parish of Orleans Parish are one and the same 6. It is an industrial and distribution center, a major seaport, and Clay ShawThis is an article about the New Orleans businessman. Clay_Shaw%2C_Jr. for an article about the politician from Florida. Clay Laverne Shaw ( March 17, 1913- August 14, 1974) was a successful businessman in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is the only person to, a copy of the film was obtained by New Orleans District Attorney Jim GarrisonJim Garrison ( November 20, 1921 October 21, 1992) was District Attorney of New Orleans, Louisiana from 1962 to 1973; he is best known for his investigations into the assassination of President John F. Garrison remains a controversial figure; opinions dif for use during the trial. Copies of the film were allowed to be made, and were soon being further copied and shown throughout the United States, and the world.

In March of 1975, during the late-night TV show Goodnight America (hosted by Geraldo RiveraGeraldo Rivera (born July 4, 1943) is a television journalist with an affinity for dramatic high-profile stories and a style that has often been accused of sensationalism. He was born Gerald Miguel Riviera in New York City. He graduated from Brooklyn Law) still-dedicated assassination researchers Robert Groden and Dick GregoryRichard Claxton (Dick) Gregory (born October 25, 1932, St. is a comedian, social activist, writer and entrepreneur. Hired by Hugh Hefner for a three-year run in a Chicago nightclub in 1961, Gregory wowed the southern white audience with the following open presented the first-ever, mass audience, public TV showing of the Zapruder film in motion.

The publics response and outrage to that first public showing led immediately, and directly, to the forming of the Hart-Schweiker investigation, contributed to the Church Committee Investigation on Intelligence Activities by the United States, and led to the House Select Committee on AssassinationsHouse of Representatives Select Committee on Assassinations was established in 1976 to investigate the John F. Kennedy assassination and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. assassination. The Committee investigated until 1978, and in 1979 issued its final rep investigation. (of which 21+% of the investigatory background files are still sealed as of 2004)

In 1975 Life sold the film back to the Zapruder family for $1. The Zapruder family soon asked the U.S. government to store the film safely and help protect it from the sands of time. The U.S. government has stored the film in the National ArchivesMore than one country maintains a national archive The Canadian Library and Archives Canada The New Zealand Archives New Zealand (formerly National Archives) The United States National Archives and Records Administration The United Kingdom National Archiv.

In 1998 the original filmstrip was purchased by the United States government under the doctrine of eminent domainIn law, eminent domain is the power of the state to appropriate private property for public use without the owner's consent. Governments most commonly use the power of eminent domain when the acquisition of real property is necessary for the completion of, and Zapruder's heirs sued to increase the amount paid for the film to $16,000,000. The Zapruder family still retains all showing rights to the film. The Zapruder family at that time also donated one of the copies and Life photo prints to the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas (this museum is, today, what used to be the Texas School Book Depository building).

Many witnesses reported hearing almost simultaneous shots (or closely spaced volleys of shots) from more than one direction, seeing evidence of something strike Elm Street near the limousine and other locations, and seeing smoke lingering briefly near the grassy knoll, which was in front and to the right of President Kennedy at the time of the assassination. Many feel the Zapruder film supports this theory, as the film clearly shows that when the president is first struck in his head, his head moved slightly forward 1" to 2" as it first explodes, then, after a 0.11 second pause, the president's head, upper torso, and right arm all violently snap simultaneously upwards, then, backwards (towards the depository) and leftwards (away from the grassy knoll).

See also: John F. Kennedy assassination