"Steel Magnolias" is one of those rare films that appears to be a "woman's flick", but is really much more!  While the tale of six women sharing their ups and downs in a small town at a beauty shop may have seemed confined on stage in its original play structure, Director Herbert Ross has done a tremendous job in opening the film's setting with an expansive setting!  Whether it's at a wedding sequence or a funeral, the film feels "big!"   This also offers the film's cast an opportunity to showcase their talents, and only Julia Roberts, of course, horribly overacts! 

The film "is" a character study, and while it explores the dreams of its central characters, men aren't forgotten either.  In fact Sam Shepard is wonderful in his restraint as Dolly Parton's troubled, but well meaning husband.

The dvd transfer from COLUMBIA TRISTAR is wonderful.  While the image is a little soft at times, there's excellent depth and clarity in most scenes.  In particular, the final moments of the film, mostly outdoor, are spectacular to watch!!!  Colors really come alive in this sequence, and it's crucial to the film!

The Dolby Surround is lacking in directional effects, but the dialogue is well balanced and extremely sharp.  The musical score, also offered on an isolated track, is wonderful.  Even on the main menu, the score is almost trance-inducing.

This is a  "Special Edition" and while it lives up to its name, the audio commentary with director Herbert Ross, is something of a disappointment.  He's just not that engaging, and there are "long" gaps of silence between scenes.  When he does speak, it's more of a commentary of what's unfolding on screen, rather than inside information.  The deleted scenes segment, while interesting, contains five scenes, which are typically so short in length, they're disappointing to watch even now!  There is a documentary/featurette offered, which is more interesting than the commentary.  It's great to see and hear cast members reflecting on the magic of the film here. Roberts is thankfully not featured!  Another fine touch is that COLUMBIA TRISTAR offers the trailers in DOLBY DIGITAL 5.1 sound!!!  This is a welcome change, as most trailers from most studios, feature a stereo mix.