I would hardly say that 2.35:1 has only been common for a few years. IMHO 2.35:1 is just about the defacto standard since DVD's initial release. If you exclude 'TV programmes', and just look at blockbuster movies, 95% of my DVD movie collection is in the full Cinematic widescreen ratio. I have a small number of 16:9's, and a single 4:3 movie.
Perhaps DVD players should be fitted with a zoom control, so people could 'choose' to zoom in a bit, a lot, or not at all depending on how big their TV is, and how much of the movie they are prepared to drop off the sides.
However, I find on my 42inch screen, 2.4:1 looks ok, and I would rather have the directors intended field of view, than some hacked together remaster.
Anyway quite a few hollywood blockbusters are filmed hard matte, and its impossible to remaster those, as they are filmed with the ratio mask fitted to the cameras, so they film directly in the superwide formats.
Perhaps DVD players should be fitted with a zoom control, so people could 'choose' to zoom in a bit, a lot, or not at all depending on how big their TV is, and how much of the movie they are prepared to drop off the sides.
However, I find on my 42inch screen, 2.4:1 looks ok, and I would rather have the directors intended field of view, than some hacked together remaster.
Anyway quite a few hollywood blockbusters are filmed hard matte, and its impossible to remaster those, as they are filmed with the ratio mask fitted to the cameras, so they film directly in the superwide formats.