Python memory deallocate

[mariano.difelice at gmail.com]

Hi,
I've a big memory problem with my application.

First, an example:

If I write:

a = range(500*1024)

I see that python process allocate approximately 80Mb of memory.
What can i do for DEALLOCATE this memory, or good part of this?

My really problem is that my program work with more photos, which I
open with PIL package.
When I start it, my program allocate approximately 200Mb memory.

If I want abort actual work and restart without restarting python
process, the memory usage will go up approximately 380-400 Mb.

I would like find something that DEallocate the memory not used.

I've tried with gc python module, but don't work fine (it deallocate
approximately 20-30 Mb)
I've tried with Destroy, del command, but the memory don't show down.

Thx

I'm very desperate