I can't fault the technical quality of this DVD - the menus are straightforward and easy to operate, although the one confusion I always have is whether the audio commentary option is switched on or switched off. The menus look elegant and in keeping with the marketing material used by the film, but things like this could be clearer, in my opinion. The sound and picture quality is excellent - sometimes there is a mismatch (even on TV) between the programme or feature and adverts or linking parts which means that the volume level you thought you needed is suddenly deafening, but in this case that problem doesn't apply - and in spite of the five year gap between film production and DVD, the picture never looks washed-out (as is sometimes the case).

As well as the film, there is the original cinematic trailer (as well as the ones for Little Women and The Remains of the Day - all three were Columbia releases), the option to listen to either of two commentaries - the one provided by Emma Thompson and Lyndsey Doran or a different one voiced by Ang Lee and James Schamus - was an excellent idea. Between the two conversations, I felt like I had a real insights into the highs, lows, difficulties, successes and general experience of making a period film. Lyndsey and Emma's commentary is my favourite so I play the film with that one on more often and they really know their stuff - even down to their frustrations at the over-zealous props department and everyone else who seemed to know exactly when various plants, music, instruments, names etc first appeared in England and wouldn't let the film makers get away with slipping them in. There is a real feeling from this narration that the cast and crew got on well, enjoyed themselves and genuinely cared about the film they were working on.

Judging by what I picked up from the commentary, five years had passed between the original filming and the DVD release, which puts the commentary recording somewhere in 1999 or 2000, so perhaps the limited number of extras on the DVD can be attributed to the relative youth of the DVD format, or the extent of its popularity at the time.

To me, the Ang Lee/ James Schamus commentary didn't seem as cohesive as the equivalent from Lyndsey Doran and Emma Thompson, but perhaps that comes from the gender difference. There were many silent bits in the Ang/James commentary whereas Lyndsey and Emma seemed to say more, although the male take on the film is still insightful (particularly since Emma Thompson says she was worried it would be marketed and perceived as a "girly film") - in my opinion, James Schamus had a less serious approach to the film than Ang Lee, who seemed more reverent, respect and caring about his production. The female commentary, incidentally, gives the impression that there is little music in the film but what there is (admittedly the soundtrack CD lengthened some tracks and included music that was written but not added to the final cut) is appropriate to the mood, time period and story represented in the film.