BREAKING HER WILL II
In the Cold Cuts episode of Breaking Her Will (2009), directed by Bill Zebub, things start off pretty hot with a rousing edition of Takebacks. The spectre of Murder-Set-Pieces (2004) haunts the conversation as David feels compelled to take back his thoughts on making the Nick Palumbo joint a better movie. Well, it’s not quite a take-back per se. It’s more of a re-contextualization of ideas. Danny gets back on track with Breaking Her Will by putting words in Pappy’s mouth about the sexual politics of the Dream Boyfriend. David agrees with Danny before trying to take back his entire synopsis from the previous week.
In Fact-Checking, Danny penetrates the mystery of Bill Zebub, revealing the man and director behind the objectively incredible screen name. While making some pretty radical claims about Zebub as an auteur, Danny strikes a Pappy nerve when suggesting trained actors were used in Breaking Her Will. The segment concludes with a little Bill Zebub on Bill Zebub.
David delivers some select critical reviews from non-critics in another edition of Curated Commentary pulled almost entirely from eBay. Needless to say, some pretty wild people have watched Breaking Her Will—wild people with equally wild opinions. For instance, the ratio between the amount of nudity in the film and the level of attractiveness of those who get nude comes up more than once. David—who is fresh off nearly taking back his amendment to the plot of Murder-Set-Pieces—closes the segment by sharing what he thinks would make Breaking Her Will a better movie. And while it’s certainly a controversial revision, it’s a well-received reimagining.
In Overthinking It, Pappy covers the obligatory subject of Stockholm Syndrome, and Danny and David agree that Zebub doesn’t pull off the most accurate representation. But the conversation goes a level deeper when Pappy introduces the concept of the Panopticon. With a little help from Michel Foucault, everyone is pretty hyped at the end the discussion with very little care if Zebub has ever heard of the theory.
There’s a little surprise in store for David during Loose Ends when he finds out that Danny and Pappy have put him in their own panopticon. But that quickly evolves, as they all agree to ensnare another—and much more susceptible—friend in a system of perpetual surveillance. Finally, the fellas discuss the ending of Breaking Her Will and come to a quick and unanimous decision on whether it’s Art or Not Art?
Finally, David and Pappy go right for Danny’s jugular with Next Week’s Movie. It’s one that’s sure to tickle his fear of home invasion.
Timestamps:
Take-Backs
00:00:00—00:06:17: David is a little worried
00:06:18—00:09:22: Danny is putting words in Pappy’s mouth
00:09:24—00:13:11: David tries to take back his synopsis & the points system starts to unravel
Lingering Feelings
00:13:12—00:16:27: Danny feels nostalgic. Somehow.
Move Facts
00:16:18—00:21:55: Bill Zebub uncloaked
00:21:56—00:29:08: On the idea of trained actors
00:29:09—00:34:15: Bill Zebub on Bill Zebub & BHW
Curated Commentary
00:34:26—00:39:29: Wild viewers with wild opinions
00:39:30—00:44:40: David has an idea for a better movie. And its controversial
Overthinking It
00:44:41—00:48:22: Notable and upsetting case of Stockholm Syndrome
00:44:23—00:52:35: Zebub Gets Stockholm Syndrome a little wrong
00:52:36—00:57:48:Let’s crack out the DSM 5
00:57:49—00:59:13: Danny uses Stockholm Syndrome professionally
00:59:14—01:04:34: How is SS portrayed in the film?
01:04:35—01:13:43: Criteria Collection: Stockholm Syndrome
01:13:44—01:20:16: What is the Panopticon and is it in the movie?
01:20:17—01:29:51: There’s a little Foucault in Breaking Her Will
Loose Ends
01:29:52—01:31:39: Danny and Pappy put David in the panopticon
01:31:40—1:33:31: Actually we all agree to panopticon a close friend
01:33:32—01:35:17: Art/Not Art & We forgot to talk about the end of the movie
Next Week’s Movie
01:35:18—01:36:00: Going after one of Danny’s biggest fears
Episode Notes and Such
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed., Text Revision, American Psychiatric Publishing, 2018.
Foucault, Michel. Discipline and Punish. Vintage, 1995.