Damn, lots of activity since I last checked the thread!
The “splices” are just the physical glue marks that were used to edit the negative together. They’re just visible in the HDTV transfer because of how much picture information was saved. There is nothing unusual about them and erasure is not a good idea (The Blu-Ray does this anyway).
Also, any restoration of Monster Zero using a Japanese source is a fool’s errand because all Japanese film sources of the uncut version are inherently INFERIOR to the domestic U.S. elements (which are in desperate need of a re-scan a la the Classic Media Gargantuas).
The uncut camera negative of Monster Zero doesn’t exist anymore. The uncut version Toho uses for video is a foreign element several generations removed from the OCN and it has stabilization and fading problems.
Using the Classic Media reconstruction of Ghidrah is a fool’s errand as well (I realize you acknowledge the sync errors, but there are unnoticeable visual ones as well). It’s not very accurate and pretty clumsy at times. If you want to carefully re-create Ghidrah, use an original 16mm source like I did for my SD reconstructions. Also, the best (incomplete) source for the audio is the 16mm print on the Australian Siren Entertainment DVD since it’s not an old 1 inch tape master.
Ghidrah also has a shot that’s longer than in any existing Japanese source (a shot of Infant Island when the Shobijin summon Mothra).
The end title you did is pretty good (nice work removing the “Owari”), but it’s not accurate. The 8mm Ken Films 'scope version of Ghidrah shows that the end title is supposed to be stretched to widescreen:
https://s30.postimg.org/gnizs8k4x/vlcsnap_2016_12_17_09h02m32s183.pngI made that mistake myself when I did my reconstruction. I’ve since corrected it:
https://s29.postimg.org/qrvkj7vc7/vlcsnap_2016_12_17_09h05m34s217.pngBoxMonster and I collaborated on a version of the opening credits in 720p with fake gate weave and grain for the freeze frames and a font that’s very similar to the original. I still have the .mov he sent me.
I’m aware any reconstruction of these films using the Toho masters is only ever going to be as good as those masters, but seeing as a new scan is a little beyond my means, it’ll have to do. That a new scan of actual US elements would inherently be better is pretty obvious; we just haven’t got one yet, which is why I’m doing this.
As for the glue marks, I figured the Blu-ray didn’t have them as I’ve watched a bootleg copy and didn’t recall seeing them; I just second-guessed myself as it had been a while and I didn’t have that copy on hand to check (I was out of town).
I had a feeling there might be some errors I’d missed, though. The synchronization in the scene at Shindo and Naoko’s house was egregious enough for me to notice it pretty much immediately, but if there were any less obvious ones I wouldn’t really have any way of knowing (unless someone pointed them out to me, like when the newscast comes on in the cafe).
I appreciate the tip regarding the Australian DVD - do you happen to have a rip of that? (Also, you say it’s incomplete - do you know offhand what’s missing? I understand the WRO logo is omitted from most if not all copies, but is there anything else?) Also, I’ve seen that reconstruction of the credits; I actually used it as a reference/basis for my own version. I think I found the exact font you used, too.
Anyway, seeing as I’ve still got a week before my target release date anyway, I’m more than happy to try and revise this project to make it more accurate. If you could send me a copy of your reconstruction, or if anyone could point me to a VHS capture or TV recording of a 16mm source, I’d be extremely grateful.
(I appreciate your dropping in, by the way. Always good to hear from an expert.)
EDIT: He hooked me up with a Spleen invite, I’ll be at a friend’s place tomorrow to download a VHS rip without getting banned from my university’s wifi.