New York is well-trodden ground for films exploring modern relationship angst, but Little Manhattan puts a fresh spin on the genre. Josh Hutcherson and Charlie Ray are barely into their teens for a story of puppy love brimming with "wit and whimsy". Critics heaped praise on husband and wife team Mark Levin (director) and Jennifer Flackett (writer), sadly they didn't get much love at the box office.

Streetwise

We're told that studio execs were a little nervous after seeing early rushes of Little Manhattan. Levin and Flackett recall with some amusement that suits were shocked to see Hutcherson riding around Manhattan on a scooter without a helmet and feared a boycott by "pro-helmet lobbyists". Levin had to shoot the controversial scenes again and these are showcased in the Helmet featurette, however, they never made the final cut. In a section of four deleted scenes, Levin says that's because everyone agreed that Hutcherson "looked like a dork, not a romantic lead". We're sure the pro-helmet lobbyists would have something to say about that, but nobody takes them seriously in that silly-looking headgear...

Other deleted scenes include a fantasy moment for Gabe (Hutcherson). After a date with Rosemary (Ray) he sees the world like a glorious Technicolor musical with New Yorkers suddenly banding together for a choreographed dance routine. It's fun, but certainly over the top. Levin calls it "emotionally redundant," indicating just what a tricky balancing act it was to get the tone of the film right. Levin and Flackett elaborate on this in their feature commentary, explaining that they wanted touches of "magical realism" to reflect a sense of "childish wonderment". They also tip their hats to famous New York rom-coms like When Harry Met Sally and Annie Hall, which are referenced throughout the film.

Park Life

One of the wackier flights of fancy sees a flock of sheep descend on Central Park and, not surprisingly, it proved a nightmare to shoot. In the Sheep Meadow featurette, Levin and Flackett unveil raw footage that sees the woolly beasts running amok during a tender exchange between Gabe and Rosemary. Ultimately the filmmakers had to rely on computer imaging to clone the sheep and the technical ins-and-outs are revealed here. The last featurette sees Levin and Flackett on a whistle-stop tour of Manhattan, scouting locations from Sheep Meadow to Hudson River Park.

Like the leading 'man' this DVD package is compact yet charming. For mums and dads weary of the usual family fare, it's definitely worth checking out.

EXTRA FEATURES

Snow Cake DVD is released on Monday, 5th February 2007.