I agree for the most part, but what's interesting to me is that when I saw the opening sequence in 1.33:1 on HBO recently, they used a lot more of the frame than the Blu-Ray did - they only cropped a bit off the sides.

I'd like to know if the full-frame DVD did the same thing, because I'd like to make a DVD that shifts from 2.39:1 to 1.33:1 - still cropped a bit, but I feel (on a large 4:3 TV, anyway) that would mimic the feel of the IMAX presentation much better. But it'd be a 4:3 DVD instead of a 16:9, and definitely wouldn't be in HD.

I'd just use the IMAX footage bonus feature on the DVD, but that A) pillarboxes it to fit in a 16:9 frame, and B) only includes the six "major" sequences, and not the other shots that were done in IMAX that are peppered throughout the film (including the scene where Alfred burns the letter, if I recall, which is quite sad).