That's not true at all.

Virtually all films which are 1.85 and 1.66, were shot full frame and then matted. What you see in the HD broadcast is a lot closer to the theatrical showing, and what the film makers intended. In the full frame version there is a lot of empty room on the top and bottom of the frame which are unnecessary and were never intended to be seen. Just because in one shot you get to see Joyce's bottom, does not make it the right way of seeing the film.

Just compared the HDTV broadcast to the DVD to see the difference in frame information the widescreen version crops the frame dramatically. You actually lose a lot of necessary picture at the top and bottom. Joyce Hyser's bathing suit bottom area is completely cropped out at one point in the widescreen version during the pool scene. The full frame DVD in 1.33:1 shows her whole bathing suit top and bottom when she's standing next to her college boyfriend after swimming. I say the DVD is the way to go because the widescreen broadcast just crops the image way too much. This is one very rare instance where I prefer the 4:3 image. There's just too much information at the top and bottom of the frame for this particular film that is lost when matted for a widescreen presentation.
go to the 2:00 minute mark and compare
this is the widescreen cued to the same scene
You can clearly see a lot of frame info lost at the top and bottom of the HD broadcast, and as previously stated this film must have been shot in full frame and then matted for widescreen presentations.

Agree with what Mbox says here. I saw it shown in 1.85:1 (or maybe it was 1.66:1) on HD cable last summer, and I popped in the DVD to compare. The 4:3 DVD had more picture, the widescreen print was a crop. It must be like the first Evil Dead film, it has had many official widescreen transfers, it was shown in theaters in 1:85, but it's a 4:3 movie. I think that's why no widescreen home release exists of JOOTG.
Aren't you relieved to know you're not a golem?

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I compared the 16x9 version to the 4x3 version, and it looks like it was shot in full frame, like the Karate Kid.
You actually get more picture in the 4x3 version, it's matted for the theatrical and 16x9 version (cutting off the top and bottom of the frame).

Every DVD I have ever found of it is in full screen, BUT if you watch it on Netflix instant streaming (which I'm doing right now) it is in 1:85. How weird is THAT?

I tried to play this dvd on my player using letterbox and it would not let me. It is full screen.

I saw "Just One of the Guys" several times when it first opened in Apr-May of 1985. The film was shown theatrically in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio.