Constance

Constance DVD

Constance - 1984

Mirage Films Ltd. - 103 min.
DVD UPC #8432593002468; 8432593003076

Cast: Donogh Rees, Shane Briant, Judie Douglas, Martin Vaughan, Donald MacDonald, Mark Wignall, Hester Joyce, Lee Grant.
Writer: Jonathan Hardy from a story by Bruce Morrison; Production Design: Richard Jeziorny; Director of Photography: Kevin Hayward; Editor: Philip Howe; Music: John Charles, David Fraser; Producer: Larry Parr; Director: Bruce Morrison.

Constance is a primary school teacher in love with the movies and drawn increasingly into a fantasy world. Her dream is shattered, almost as soon as it begins to be realised, when she is raped by a famous Hollywood photographer. After this, she seems to return to reality, when she agrees to marry her boyfriend, however when she returns to acting out her fantasies, she ends up alienating everyone, including the boyfriend. With her parents dead, and deserted by friends, the police arrive at her house one night to check on a noisy party. Actually, there is no party - just Constance pretending to be the hostess of one.

Censor Rating: PG - Review rating: B-

AVAILABILITY OF VHS OR DVD COPIES

No known sources for new copies in either PAL or NTSC VHS. Used PAL copies may be occationally found via ebay.
An R0 PAL DVD is available from Spain. It is presented 1.33:1 with Spanish 5.1 and the original English 2.0. It also has Spanish subtitles. It usually sells for about 8eur. One source is: the EBKDVD New Zealand page
PAL vhs copies of this title is OOP, however as of February 2009, it is available on PAL R0 DVD, selling for about $20nz, but only from New Zealand sources.

SOUNDTRACK ON AUDIO CD

No known soundtrack CDs of this title.

Link to soundtrack sample download

TRAILER & REVIEWS

Trailer and 10 minute clip

Information at IMDB

Time Out Review

Variety Review

New Zealand Film Commission Synopsis

Mark Deming, All Movie Guide Review

TV Guide Review

"Constance's deviancy, then, appears to be less a result of an inhibiting provincial society than something inbred, especially since her mother also goes mad. The inevitability of her fate suggests that her total lack of choices is somehow her own fault - if only she would buckle down and get on with life the way everyone else in Auckland does. The film's lack of sympathy with its heroine makes a potentially interesting story of a social misfit into yet another misogynist fable about the punishment of women who rebel" - (Pam Cook, MFB, March 1985, Vol.52, No.614)

"As her rebellion seems futile, it's difficult to feel much sympathy for the main character. Ultimately there's no room for emotional catharsis, which is reason enough to leave an audience feeling vaguely dissatisfied. For the most part though, Constance succeeds in its intentions. Previously the best New Zealand films have been the 'boys brigade' action films of Geoff Murphy and Roger Donaldson. Constance is a welcome change of pace. It's well worth checking out" - (More, April 1984)

One to divide critics. Sometimes its visual texture is remarkable, but its arch dialogue, campy overtones and stereotyped characters (philistines versus aesthetes) are not particularly enlightening. Perhaps best appreciated by young women who want to be Rita Hayworth in 'Gilda' (Nicholas Reid - 'A Decade of New Zealand Film').

AWARDS

1984 - Taormina Film Festival, Italy - Bronze Charybidis winner.

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