TV films through the letterbox

As Norma Desmond said in Sunset Blvd. (1950), "I am big.  It's the pictures that got small."

No kidding. Most of my cable channels show films non-letterboxed, meaning that widescreen is "pan and scanned" into a small screen, meaning that a guy in the middle of the frame will often be talking to somebody off-screen, or to a part of somebody's head (comparisons here).  They usually show you the titles in wide-screen, I think just to torture you with what you're missing. Here's more of the technical story.

I have been wondering when this will change.  More people have 16:9 aspect televisions.  There are a zillion cable channels, why not more of a choice than Sundance, Fox Movie Channel, and dvd?

The worrisome thing is that the filmmakers seem to be giving in, unless it's my imagination.  Pan and scan seems less irritating for newer movies. Are the movies being shot for small televisions --  for example, with the subjects closer to the center of the frame?  Possibly someone can enlighten me.

If so, there will be no escape, not even by getting the dvd or going to the theatre.  But even if not, the situation is dire. Why are there no protests, no street demonstrations, no boycotts?  Why was this not an issue in the last election?  Kerry would have gotten my vote by promising to outlaw pan and scan.  I know I don't much favor regulation, but when markets fail so utterly, there is no viable choice.

In the meantime, consumers need to protest up the distribution channel.  Watch FMC, which promises always to show the letterbox version if available, and tell the other folks you're doing so.  Be noisy.  Use the Internet. Submit shareholder proposals.

Taking a more sanguine view, though, I suppose I should be happy.  At last I am a victim.