VHS C tape problem (VCR to Elgato Video Capture to MBP)

[guschigs]

I'm capturing old family VHS C tapes using a VHS C to VHS adapter to VCR through the Elgato Video Capture device to my computer. I've done about 57 tapes with minimal VHS artifacts or degraded signal. Some stuff had some moments, but for the most part, really great. On tape 58, however, I'm getting horrible problems. The weird thing is, these tapes are younger than the tapes I've done previously. The tapes I did from the mid-80's through the early 90's were GREAT, and now i'm doing mid to late 90's and early 2000's and the tapes are having problems.

Is this a problem with the tape itself?

I've been tightening the spools by fast forwarding and then rewinding, and it didn't do anything to improve the results. Do you think it's possible the VCR needs another head cleaning? I tried that too but my head cleaner is really old (mid 90s). Is it dangerous to use dust off on these tapes?

Any advice? See image samples of problem I'm having on the latest tape. For most of the tape, the screen is split in two with the "top" of the image on the bottom half of the screen and the "bottom" of the image on the top of the screen— which I actually think I could fix in post, save for the horrible lines across. Really, really saddening and maddening!

-Gus