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"Tonight on The Flop House we examine the Billy Zane vehicle Memory—surely the best Billy Zane movie since the last one."

Official Show Notes[]

"In the second episode of The Flop House, the team travels deep into unexplored reaches of the Billy Zane catalogue, to unearth the a repressed (or at least barely theatrically released) Memory. Meanwhile, Simon contemplates suicide, Stuart can't seem to turn off his phone, and Dan coins a new improv troupe name."

Movie Summary[]

Premise[]

A medical reseracher teams with a retired doctor to root around in the genetically stored memories of a serial killer.

Story[]

The film begins by handily providing a definition of the word "memory". Billy Zane, Alzheimer's researcher, has been called to the Amazon to examine a patient; during the examination, he is exposed to a powder "used in civilized cultures for over two million years" which causes him, for unknown reasons, to experience the memories of a killer. He takes it upon himself to find the killer and enlists the help of painter Tricia Helfer.
More details emerge from Zane's memory flashbacks, revealing the killer murders little girls. At some point, there is scuba-gear. As it turns out, Zane's mother (Ann-Margret) is the killer; in an action-packed scene, Zane rescues Helfer from an evidence dungeon and somehow defeats an elderly woman, leaving her poisoned in a burning building.
The basement contains a hallway featuring twisted walls with "crazy people words" written about, leading to a room with a giant photograph of Margaret surrounded by mental hospital discharge papers and other damning evidence, as if she were a spider in the middle of a web. In all, the set has the appearance of a fun-house.

"The Billy Zane Issue"[]

The face of a rapist
There is some disagreement in the Floppers' views on Billy Zane and his smug grins, visible in all scenes of the film regardless of emotional context. Dan admits to a "sneaking fondness" for Billy Zane's mannerisms, Simon thinks they make him look like a rapist. In response, Dan claims that "if Billy Zane raped you, he would do it with sort of a sly, understated humour"; Simon claims Zane has a "brutish, thug-like quality".

Final Judgments[]

  • Simon–Retarded, hated it, wished he was dead. Recommended to watch in large groups only.
  • Stuart–Recommended it
  • Dan–Recommended it as a fascinating bad film, partially due to Zane's line readings and the Brazillian exposition

Episode Highlights[]

A decent Simon-era episode. Watch for popping P's and B's. The film was selected as due to the trailer; while watching "The Host" in theatre, the trailer, which presented the film as serious business, caused the theatre to burst into laughter. Additionally, the trailer was apparently crafted using iMovie.
Ann-Margret's murders take place in a bizarely constructed basement, referred to by Simon as an evidence dungeon. Margret, using the IM handle "Liezfak", arranges to meet with little girls, who are abducted. A wax/plaster mould of each girl's face is made and placed onto a life-sized doll- then some sort of creepy tea party is held, and the girls are killed.

Tangents[]

Stuart reveals that an early viewing of the erotic, "Lake Consequence", has affected his sexuality such that, as Simon phrases it, "...that shit's all wrapped up in his brain now, it's all twisted together; he doesn't know where the Billy Zane ends and the eroticism begins."

Movie Pitches[]

  • Dr. Jeremiah Memory, a script Simon is working on. It's copyrighted, don't steal it.

Quotes[]

Listener Mail[]

Mailbag Song[]

@Time

Letters[]

"Mail Title" from Listener Lastnamewithheld @Time
 
"Mail Title" from Listener Lastnamewithheld @Time
 
"Mail Title" from Listener Lastnamewithheld @Time
 

Recommendations[]

  • Superbad (2007) by Greg Mottola (Simon)
  • Disturbia (2007) by D.J. Caruso (Stuart)
  • The Silent Partner (1978) by Daryl Duke (Dan)

Stinger[]

Recording is interrupted by Stuart's phone, presumably not for the first time. Dumbfounded at Stuart's lack of courtesy, Dan demands to know, "Who is texting you that you can't turn the fucking phone off? Who is it? What big-breasted woman is texting you?". In reply, Stuart states that the breasts in question are medium-sized; Simon closes saying that the whole thing is mysterious.

See Also[]

http://www.flophousepodcast.com/2007/09/episode-two-memory_06.html http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/memory-2005

Images[]

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