point5 wrote: Were the LD trilogy released in the same format as GOUT, i.e. letterbox or whatever?

More or less Yes, the term you are looking for is anamorphic: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anamorphic The GOUT represents probably the best digitization of the laserdisc's source film scans. (laserdisc is an analog format) Your zooming problem maybe because of the hardware/software you are using. But the GOUT and laserdisc transfers don't have the resolution for close inspection that we're accustomed to with HD formats. This was not a limitation of the scanning equipment (the film was digitized for shots of the 1997 SE), but a limitation of home video at the time.

Here's a chart of display resolutions. GOUT/LD is the red PAL (768x576) [HD starts at 1280x720]

The 2011 BluRays are at HD1080 (1920x1080). The PT was shot in the 2K range. Non-special effect shots of the OT could be in the 4K range.