Ok, I think I've figured out how to set the anamorphic flag in TMPGEnc (I already knew how to set the pulldown flag). I'm testing it out now. So now I have a question...

Mothr has been touting the avisynth filter Spline36resize, and has provided some numbers for using it to convert to widescreen. On the other hand, Spaced Ranger has touted using the anamorphic DVD flag. Am I right in surmising that the best approach would be to: (1) use Spline36resize (or something similar) to adjust the size of the content portion of the frame to 4:3, if necessary, and then (2) use the anamorphic flag, -not- Spline36resize, to allow the DVD player to convert it to widescreen? Or am I missing something?

I'm encoding a test as I write this.

Also, I've recaptured the film (yet again), and so I should have new screen captures posted by tomorrow - with slightly less cropping. Your highlighting really shows how much cropping was done on this print. This, plus the hair embedded in two of the reels, and the sloppy edits, tells me that they didn't put much care into it when they produced these 16mm prints.