[Request] Manipulate the Game's Canvas

I was looking at the XBLA version of Radiant Silvergun recently.

<img src="http://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/radiantsilvergun-4e70f7f-intro.jpg" border="0" />

Since the game is played at a 4:3 aspect ratio, they put those space-filling bars on the sides for widescreens, along with some HUD information.

Is it possible to manipulate to manipulate the game's canvas (like rotating, scaling, or moving it another to position) without it affecting what's going on in the game?

You can achieve that by using layers.. I think that messing with the canvas would be too process intensive? I don't know.

You can also use layers to simulate a "mask" using layer effects, for instance, you draw a square and say that you want something to appear only inside that square. Like masks in Photoshop.