Version 3.4 looks great. I see no flash frames and the volume is enjoyably better balanced than Version 3.1.
I now also completely agree with the piano notes at the end: raising the volume makes them a good bridge into the end credits.
I found three moments in v3.4 that can be improved further:
- At 17:06 - 17:48, just before and in the beginning of the 2CV chase, the dialog is now drowned out by the music. In v3.1 the dialog is clear because the music is quieter. The louder music is better in relation to the rest of the film, except for this bit. Can you fade up the volume of the music slowly, so those lines of dialog remain clear?
- At 41:30 minutes, it
looks as if you wanted to remove the hug, but left the tail-end of it in. I recommend you either cut a few more frames, when Bibi lets go of Bond, or restore the shot of her hugging Bond and the short cutaway shot of Brink.
- At 56:30 - 56:40, the change from one music to the next is now very sudden. It didn't catch my attention in v3.1, and the only difference I find is the volume boost for the second tune. Can you fade up that increase a bit slower?
Any remaining fluctuation in volume is no worse than many other good edits and even original movies. I do recommend adding subtitles. At this point that'll take less effort than finding and tweaking ever shorter bits of volume, and give more bang-for-your-buck to help dialog clarity.
It really is remarkable that you succeeded in cutting half an hour from this film without that being obvious! The only part that feels trimmed is Bibi in the Alps, her role now feels too minor (that's okay, because most of it was awful!), for the rest the trims are perfectly placed and paced.
This edit replaces the original in my Bond collection!