Destroy All Monsters AIP HD Reconstruction v2.0 AVAILABLE NOW

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Destroy All Monsters AIP HD Reconstruction v2.0 AVAILABLE NOW

Post by omgitsgodzilla »

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Version 2.0 of the AIP Destroy All Monsters reconstruction is available now!

The improved 1080p HD reconstruction of the original US version of Destroy All Monsters, dubbed at Titan Studios and released by AIP, is completed and available to download! Cast your eyes spleenward or send a private message for details.

Notes on this release:
  • The bulk of film was sourced from the Media Blasters Blu-ray. The aspect ratio was corrected to the original 2.35:1 from something like 2.41:1 and the contrast and saturation were increased to alleviate the flat appearance of the Toho transfer.
  • This version uses the audio from the Siren DVD, slowed down from PAL speed, for most of the audio; since that version was seemingly made from a TV print that cuts some of the more violent scenes, the audio sometimes reverts to the bootleg VHS audio, which has had its bass levels increased to better match the Siren DVD.
  • The various splices/missing frames in the bootleg VHS used as a sync/visual reference were approached differently for this version. Instead of trimming the HD video to match the sync reference, the sync reference was adjusted at these points to leave the HD video intact, instead leaving a gap in the audio. Most of these were filled in using the Siren audio, but there are a couple of points where both sources were missing material, meaning the finished reconstruction still has a gap in it.
  • The color of the AIP logo at the beginning of the film was corrected to white, instead of v1.0's beige.
Original post:
Now that a decently polished 720p version of Godzilla 1985 is out and available, and goji1986 is working on recreating the Walter Reade-Sterling version of Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster (which I was originally planning as a follow-up), I've decided to undertake another, less labor-intensive project while we wait for the Kraken Blu-ray of The Return of Godzilla. I'm going to attempt a widescreen, HD reconstruction of the AIP version of Destroy All Monsters.

While I know that the AIP dub was included on the OOP version of the Media Blasters Blu-ray, that track was altered to account for minor edits made to the original US release of the movie so it would sync properly to the Japanese print used for Toho's transfer. What I'm talking about making is a complete recreation of the AIP version as originally released, cuts, credits and all.

I'll be using the current Media Blasters Blu-ray (which I have) as my main source, but at the moment I don't have an audio source/visual reference on hand for the AIP version. I do have an old DVD bootleg back home that's got the AIP version on it, and I could have my family mail it to me, but I could get started sooner if someone could either direct me to a non-torrent download option or send it to me via Google Drive, MEGA, MediaFire or some other file storage/transfer service.

Basically what I'm predicting this will entail is remaking the credits and such in widescreen (I already downloaded the font AIP seemed to generally use for titles/credits a while ago just because I liked it), then syncing the MB footage to the AIP version and replicating whatever edits there are. This should be a much simpler and easier job than Godzilla 1985, and I already have access to a 1080p source, so this should be completed in far less time than my last project was/will be.

TL;DR: Anyone have/know where to find a copy of the AIP version?
v1.0 announcement:
The AIP Destroy All Monsters reconstruction is available now!

The 1080p HD reconstruction of the original US version of Destroy All Monsters, dubbed at Titan Studios and released by AIP, is completed and available to download! Send a private message for details.

UPDATE 10/30/2016: I've just made an MKV of the reconstruction that features higher quality, chapter stops and is encoded for easy remuxing and burning to Blu-ray! Hit me up for the details, or check the usual spot if you know where to look.

Notes on this release:
  • The bulk of film was sourced from the Media Blasters Blu-ray. The aspect ratio was corrected to the original 2.35:1 from something like 2.41:1 and the contrast was increased to alleviate some of the weaknesses of the Toho transfer.
  • The AIP logo, main title card, "the end" title card and end credits have all been carefully digitally recreated.
  • There are a several splices in the print of the AIP version that I used as a guide and audio source for this version, which result in a few missing frames each. These have been duplicated in this version to maintain proper synchronization with the original source.
  • One such splice occurs in a spot which interrupts an optical wipe present in the widescreen Japanese print; in that case, a digital wipe was employed to hide the problem and mimic the editing of the Japanese version while maintaining proper synchronization with the AIP version. This is the only such embellishment made in this edit; it is otherwise wholly faithful to the editing of the AIP version.
For those interested, here's a more comprehensive list of the edits made in the AIP version:
  • The Toho logo and the accompanying section of Ifukube's score are cut. The AIP logo and title card appear over the background originally used for the Japanese title card, and the score picks up at the appropriate spot as well.
  • The opening credits are removed. There is a straight cut from the shot of the Moonlight SY-3 cockpit to the overhead shot of Ogasawara Island that comes after the credits in the Japanese version.
  • The scene transition from Dr. Otani aboard the SY-3 leaving Monsterland to him riding in the back of a car with Katsuo and Dr. Yoshida is altered; where the Japanese version used an optical wipe to transition from a close-up on Dr. Otani to a close-up of Katsuo that pans over to Otani and Yoshida, the AIP version cuts directly from Otani aboard the rocket to Otani in the car, keeping his face framed in almost the same spot. (This was the edit noted above that was changed to a digital wipe.)
  • The pan across the aftermath of Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra and Manda's rampage through Tokyo ends sooner in the AIP version. The Japanese version ends by zooming in on a sign in Japanese bearing the name of some sort of emergency bunker or headquarters, then cuts to Katsuo inside. The AIP version cuts the sign and goes straight from the wreckage to Katsuo.
  • There is one shot of the SY-3 landing in the Kilaak base on the moon that seems to be longer in the AIP version; this was matched by slowing down the shot that appears in the Japanese version - It's a brief shot but it is notable.
  • Not one, but two shots of Minilla are cut from the battle with King Ghidorah: One as Mothra and Kumonga spray Ghidorah with silk and webbing, and one as Angilas loses his grip on Ghidorah's neck and falls to the ground.
  • The final shot of Ogasawara Island, there the "The End" title appears, is longer in the AIP version, and the title appears much later.
  • Finally, the film's credits are displayed at the end over a black background, using the music cue that played under the opening credits in the Japanese version. Notably, Ishiro Honda's name is spelled correctly, as opposed to the commonly-used incorrect Romanization "Inoshiro."
Last edited by omgitsgodzilla on Fri Jun 16, 2017 8:38 am, edited 5 times in total.
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goji1986
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Re: Destroy All Monsters AIP HD Reconstruction

Post by goji1986 »

I think I've got the ISO of the same boot you're talking about. I'll send the AIP dub your way as soon as I can.
PM me for Godzilla versus The Sea Monster Titra Dub HD reconstruction! BLURAY-READY EDITION NOW AVAILABLE!
(Former V2.0 still available as well)
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Godzilla vs The Smog Monster AIP Dub HD reconstruction COMPLETE!
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Re: Destroy All Monsters AIP HD Reconstruction

Post by omgitsgodzilla »

I appreciate it! I managed to find a few copies online at Dailymotion and the like, but that'll most likely be better quality.
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Re: Destroy All Monsters AIP HD Reconstruction

Post by JetrellFo »

What I've got is a 1080p that is color matched to the telecine along with the audio options from the OOP Bluray.

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Re: Destroy All Monsters AIP HD Reconstruction

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I'm not sure I understand what you mean; is it a color-corrected rip of the Blu-ray?
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Re: Destroy All Monsters AIP HD Reconstruction

Post by JetrellFo »

Yes, it is.

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L4.1
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 5 frames
Codec ID : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
Duration : 1h 28mn
Bit rate mode : Variable
Nominal bit rate : 37.8 Mbps
Maximum bit rate : 40.0 Mbps
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 792 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 2.40:1
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 23.976 (24000/1001) fps

It is 25bg in size as well.

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Re: Destroy All Monsters AIP HD Reconstruction

Post by omgitsgodzilla »

I'm definitely intrigued. Could you by any chance take a couple of screenshots? I'd be interested to see how the colors look compared to the Blu-ray; I was thinking about doing some kind of color correction on the MB footage seeing as it frankly looks pretty drab.
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Re: Destroy All Monsters AIP HD Reconstruction

Post by JetrellFo »

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Re: Destroy All Monsters AIP HD Reconstruction

Post by omgitsgodzilla »

That looks pretty excellent; is there anywhere I can get my hands on this without torrents/any way you could get this to me?
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Re: Destroy All Monsters AIP HD Reconstruction

Post by JetrellFo »

It's a 25GB file ...... I don't know how I'd get it to you without a torrent.

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Re: Destroy All Monsters AIP HD Reconstruction

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I think I know how. I'll PM you
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Re: Destroy All Monsters AIP HD Reconstruction

Post by GodzillaFanatic2001 »

You said you were going to remake the credits. I'm assuming you mean the end credits, but does this mean that you'll also remake the title card?

Also, you've probably already found this, but if not, it might be handy as a reference.
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Godzilla 2000 wrote:Its harmless fun, pure and simple.
As opposed to those dangerously fun movies.

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Re: Destroy All Monsters AIP HD Reconstruction

Post by omgitsgodzilla »

I also intend to remake the title card, yes. I've located pretty much all the materials I'll need; I'm just waiting on Jetrell Fo's color-corrected copy of the Blu-ray to upload so I can download it and use that as my main source.

The trickiest part will probably be the background for the title card; it looks like AIP had a textless version of the background without the kanji composited onto it. It would be easy enough to edit out the kanji at the beginning when they're lying horizontally, but the sky in the background gradually grows brighter, so I'll probably be taking a screenshot from the first frame after the fade-in, editing out the kanji, then taking one from the last frame before the fade-out, blocking off the kanji probably with the same sort of method I used for the captions and subtitles in Godzilla 1985, then simulating the brightening background with a slow dissolve between those beginning and end images.

But since that sounds like a huge pain in the ass, I'm probably going to start by syncing the rest of the movie before I go back and do the title/credits.
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Re: Destroy All Monsters AIP HD Reconstruction

Post by GodzillaFanatic2001 »

Concerning the AIP logo at the beginning, how would you go about reconstructing that, what with the animation inherent in the logo and whatnot.
HayesAJones wrote:
Godzilla 2000 wrote:Its harmless fun, pure and simple.
As opposed to those dangerously fun movies.

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Re: Destroy All Monsters AIP HD Reconstruction

Post by omgitsgodzilla »

I've found a version on YouTube that's got the same logo on a black background (slightly different animation but I can compensate for that); I'm not sure exactly how I'll go about replicating the animation but it shouldn't be too terribly hard.

Added in 8 hours 1 minute 16 seconds:
Well, Jetrell Fo and I haven't had any luck getting the color-corrected Blu-ray rip to me, so I was toying with the idea of going ahead and starting on my own with a plain Blu-ray rip. It turns out the Toho transfer can be improved a fair amount by just increasing the contrast, so I went ahead and got started. (I also tweaked the aspect ratio; the film is supposed to be 2.35:1 but it's something like 2.41:1 on the Blu-ray, so I corrected it.)

It's turned out to be pretty simple; mostly a matter of cutting a frame off the end of a shot now and then - I'm already 23 minutes into the movie. There was, however, one edit made to the movie that posed a bit of a problem, which I had to find a somewhat creative solution for. It's a bit hard to explain, so I went ahead and whipped up a brief video demonstration:



While I admit it sort of pushes the boundaries of a proper recreation or restoration, I don't think it's too egregious. What do you all think?
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Re: Destroy All Monsters AIP HD Reconstruction

Post by G-Matt »

omgitsgodzilla wrote:

While I admit it sort of pushes the boundaries of a proper recreation or restoration, I don't think it's too egregious. What do you all think?
I think it works well for its purpose. Sometimes creative liberties have to be taken.
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Re: Destroy All Monsters AIP HD Reconstruction

Post by GodzillaFanatic2001 »

I'm fine with that, it smooths out what is a rather awkward edit in the original cut. I don't think it will be a problem.

BTW, in your video, the Japanese cut has no audio.
HayesAJones wrote:
Godzilla 2000 wrote:Its harmless fun, pure and simple.
As opposed to those dangerously fun movies.

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Re: Destroy All Monsters AIP HD Reconstruction

Post by omgitsgodzilla »

I know there's no audio; I didn't bother importing the Japanese audio track into the project since I'm just re-cutting the video to match the dub.

Now that I watch the AIP version again, the fact that there's a small scratchy sound about a second after the cut followed by the start of the engine noise in the background makes me wonder if that cut wasn't an intentional editing choice but a splice in the finished print. I've already encountered a few of those; in most cases I've just cut the corresponding couple of frames out to maintain the sync between video sources, but in this case I think I'll leave the wipe. A few frames out of the middle of a shot is one thing; an optical wipe that gets cut off is another.
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Re: Destroy All Monsters AIP HD Reconstruction

Post by GodzillaFanatic2001 »

Ah, I understand why there is no Japanese audio now.

It entirely possible that that is a splice, as it is a rather awkward edit. No fade out, no transition, just a abrupt cut between scenes. The sound is especially rough there. I do like the way you had the scratchy sound match up with the end of the fade. Makes it sound a little less out of place.
HayesAJones wrote:
Godzilla 2000 wrote:Its harmless fun, pure and simple.
As opposed to those dangerously fun movies.

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Re: Destroy All Monsters AIP HD Reconstruction

Post by omgitsgodzilla »

Update!

The whole film's all synced up. Turns out it's much easier to do this when the film hasn't been cut into a million pieces and shifted around the way Godzilla 1985 was. I've matched up all the edits and masked off the "終" ending title to get a textless last shot (I also had to extend it somewhat to match the length of the shot in the AIP version - fancy that), so all that's left now is to recreate the credits! I've taken a widescreen video of the opening and end credits and matched the backgrounds of the title cards to find the original placement of the text relative to the frame, and now...

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