Like the subject line says, the Doll More Bella Auden body hit the States yesterday. Armeleia took several photos, notable for the alarming skinniness of the Bella neck, especially in comparison with the extremely broad Yukinojo head. Pre-op photos [appropriate for April Fool’s] below. Continue reading Frank’s body arrived at Armeleia’s!

Inspired by the release of two new Dollshe boy headsculpts, Saint and Bernard. [Pictures on eluts.com.] Ahem… Continue reading An “Ode” to the Dollshe Dolls

Each of my dolls is a character that I have fully imagined and formed in my head. When I transmit them into doll form, I want to give them a physical form appropriate to their personality and appearance as I imagine it. Though I’m a great control freak about my dolls [hence the Frankensteining to get just the right shape and size], I also like seeing how other people play with my ideas. This is why I like pictures of my dolls. I get to see how other people interpret my characters. Two pictures below the cut. Continue reading Jareth and Frank’s fan art, part II

Frank’s body and clothes have left Dollmore. They are currently on their way to the exquisite mod-maker, Armeleia. Maybe I’ll get him before my bday!

Over here in the LJ MM community, sleepall_day took a screencap that shows a Valentine doll in Helena’s room [when she’s playing with the sock puppets].

I didn’t even notice that doll! In fact, I left him out of my essay about sex and dolls in L and MM, where I mainly focused on the sexualizing music box dolls that attack Helena in the Dark Queen’s castle.

Currently tossing around the notion that Valentine’s appearance as a doll relates to the movie’s exploration of Helena’s sexuality. Dolls are vehicles for sexual expression, as I demo in the aforementioned essay. So perhaps the Valentine doll represents Helena’s wish for a boyfriend who’s a magical hero and a charmer [as opposed to the punky smoker guy who’s Anti-Helena’s make-out partner]. Somehow this ties in to Valentine’s status as imaginary figure inside Helena’s dream and real guy [in the Future Fruit vision of him as a waiter, also at the end of the movie]. Could he be one of the most balanced and desireable characters of the movie [mischievous yet responsible, fantastical yet real]? Definitely need to chew on this some more…

Jill alerted me to the coolest Web site, TV Tropes. It’s the encyclopedia of plot devices, stock characters, cliches and genre fixtures for TV, movies and even novels. I was making smaller lists of such “archetypes” at the age of 14, and now, 14 years later, there’s a whole online encyclopedia of them!

(un)real life is a dramedy because it combines drama and humor, but it’s also a soap opera in the sense that the characters always experience life-changing events [never a dull moment]. Perhaps it could be best characterized as a supernatural soap opera, which gets in the constant plot twists, the high tension and the magic.

Anneka, as a hero, is probably an Extraordinarily Powered Girl, given the fact that she has vampiric powers. She also has strong Mary Sue traits, mostly because she’s semi-autobiographical and physically idealized. Because she resents her special status and just wants a normal life, she’s also a Part-Time Hero. Given her tendency to depression, suicidal thoughts and holding grudges, she may also have some anti-hero in her.

Will, as a hero, is most obviously an anti-hero. Specifically, his cynicism and cock-sureness make him an Ineffectual Loner. He makes sarcastic remarks about almost everyone, ensuring him the role of Deadpan Snarker.

Both Anneka and Will have a strong Beauty and the Beast aspect to their relationship. Anneka seems to be bringing out something good in Will [hmmm, maybe he’ll stop killing people], and he seems to be bringing out something good in her [though we’re not clear what it is]. As well, there is some Star-Crossed Lovers drama, but they keep crossing the stars by themselves. Fate has nothing to do with it.

Update your links and bookmarks, loyal fans. Today inaugurates the new location, look and architecture of Jareth’s Realm. Now found at http://www.oddpla.net/realm/ — this version of the Realm will be the most user-friendly version yet. I am now using a light, eminently extensible framework for the site, a PHP-based blog program called WordPress, so I can automate cross-references and category management. In other words, the site will be easier for you to browse and easier for me to maintain. Furthermore, since the software is Web-based, I can modify the Realm from any terminal, which means no waiting until I get a chunk of time to bang away on my laptop. That means more timely updates for you and more Labyrinthian fun for all of us. Hooray! I’m quite excited!

I’ve worked on and off for about three months on this upgrade, and, as you can tell, it’s not completely finished. For example, where the hell did all the fan art, essay pictures, wardrobe shots and “bad pix” go? Well, I haven’t figured out the best way to incorporate all my pictures into the Realm, so hang in there.

I wanted to roll out this new version of the Realm, though, because there’s a lot of cool new stuff that I’ve only hinted at in my blog. Look back over the last 20 years in a comprehensive history of Labyrinth and its fandom. Speculate on the possibility that Jareth = father figure [?!?!?!?!?]. Check out Nick Berquist’s two-part list for signs that you may be a male Laby fan. Part I. Part II. Scan the updated site history and credits.

Or, more accurately, do you believe in love after life? Will does. To find out what I’m talking about, see the pilot of season 5 over here.

In other (un)real news, Anneka, Will and their friends and enemies are now officially ensconced at their own Web space. Free from the blinking ads of Keenspace and open to comments by all, (un)real life now exists on my own server, easily updateable and controllable.

Everyone go over there and make comments now!! Or add a comment here so I can count you among my fans. I’d like to see how many readers I have. I’m making a list of fans below for my own reference. Don’t you want to be popular and join the list? :p Continue reading Do you believe in life after love?

Jennifer has always been a quiet, unobtrusive, meditative, anal-retentive, even repressed character. In contrast to Frank, her polymorphously perverse master, and Jareth, her theatrically melancholy friend, she has always been…well, normal, very down-to-earth and shy. Inexperienced in the ways of intimacy, she does indeed have a sex drive, but its very existence still perturbs her, despite the fact that she’s in her early 20s.

I chose Soom Uyoo for my Jennifer doll because I wanted a sculpt that looked at once mature and innocent. Now that I actually have the doll in my hands, though, I realize how sexy she can be. I think Jennifer is realizing this too. As you can see from tonight’s series of photos, she looks hot in a low-cut, sheet outfit, proving that someone can be sweet and sexy at the same time. Continue reading Jennifer: sweet and…sexy!

This evening I finally had the energy to set up Jennifer and take a few pictures. Well, actually, I took 40, but you only get to see the 4 most interesting. Continue reading Hi, Jennifer!

In the last entry, I just called Jareth queer. Yes, folks, he’s the Goblin Queen, and it’s screamingly obvious.

Jareth is certainly queer in his self-presentation. David Bowie plays him as a tongue-in-cheek drag queen. Like a drag queen, the Goblin King favors highly choreographed and dramatic entrances. Like a drag queen, he simpers and struts with a sly wink to the audience. Like a drag queen, he sings, dances and flaunts his assets. Like a drag queen, he never looks the same way for long; he’s always wearing yet another sparkly, elaborate outfit. Like a drag queen, he uses heavy eye make-up to stylize his striking eyes and pale complexion so that he has a mask-like, obviously artificial look. Like a drag queen, he has unnatural hair that defies gravity and changes color when necessary. Like a drag queen, he turns himself into a very sexy work of art. Like a drag queen, he reminds you that all the world’s a stage, and he’s the star of the show. His very physical presentation, full of beauty and artifice, embodies the phrase “things aren’t always what they seem.”

EDIT: Elle m’attend chez moi! Tracking says it was signed for by me despite the fact that I was at work downtown when the delivery occurred. I guess my signed note worked this time!

According to UPS tracking, Jennifer is “out for delivery” as of 4:15 AM. However, I do not know if I will get her today. Continue reading Jennifer: on her way here? AKA UPS annoys me.

Sounds like an intro at a meeting of SAA [Sadistic Authors Anonymous], huh? Well, it’s true. The main character of (un)real life, Anneka Elizabeth, died dramatically today in [where else?] the arms of her devoted [and dead] boyfriend, Will. Continue reading “Hi, my name’s MW, and I killed my main character.”

According to this amusing quiz, Anneka Elizabeth is a stinkin’ rotten Mary Sue. Well, of course she is. She developed out of a doll called AE for Alter Ego. She’s supposed to be semi-autobiographical.

I ran Jareth the Goblin King [movie version] through the quiz too. Guess what? He came up as an “Uber-Sue.” I think it’s because he has many traits [weird eyes, weird hair, weird clothes, weird name, magic powers, sexiness] romanticized by writers of fanfic. There’s probably an essay for the Realm in here somewhere….

As all three of you who follow this blog know, I’ve spent beaucoup d’argent sur les poupees since December. I estimate close to $3,000. @_@

I think my dollies have been so expensive because, last time I had BJDs [Zephque and Sardonix], I settled for ones that looked nice, but not exactly how I wanted. Now, determined to have BJDs exactly to my specifications, I’m willing to fork over serious dough to accomplish that goal.

My interest in 1:6 kitbashing also influences my BJD purchases. As far as I’m concerned, 1:6 figs are made to be stripped down, parted out and recombined to create the fig you really want. While BJDs are designed for customization, parting out and recombining [kitbashing] is not as prevalent. But, coming from the 1:6 land, I see BJDs as more expensive action figs, therefore made of swappable parts. Thus I may pay higher prices for BJD parts [like Frank’s head], but then I get to reconstitute the doll that I want.

Despite what people at the Burlington Doll Club tell me, I’m now done with my BJD shopping. Jareth, Frank and Jennifer form my entire collection. If I was to get another BJD, someone would have to go. Given Jareth’s extensive customization and resemblance to Cher, I really doubt that he would sell. Given Frank’s constitution [defaced male Volks LE head on DM fem body with super boobs], I doubt he would sell either. As an unmodded Soom Uyoo, Jennifer might sell, but I have no desire to replace her [although I would like the Soul Doll Metel body with its hefty curves!]. Since I’m stuck with my current dolls [woe is me!], I see no other BJDs in my future.

In conclusion, I’ve laid out an exorbitant amount in a short time. However, I have exactly the dolls that I want now, and I foresee them entertaining me for quite a while. I think that they will earn their keep. If they don’t, I’ll start forcing them to do dishes and laundry.

I’ve successfully paid for an unpainted Bella Auden, to be shipped to Armeleia, and a selection of the fabulous DM clothes: the rose-colored velour warm-up set, a pink-and-white-striped long-sleeved T and matching shorts, “slash jeans” for Haund, black lace underwear, black leather masc shoes and black leather fem shoes. Soon [relatively speaking] my BJD collection will be complete!

Note to self: Frank’s head headed to Armeleia as of Saturday, 3/11. Now to order his body.

Jennifer is in the mail from Lia as of today! With UPS 3-day, she should be arriving later this week. Then she and Jareth can have a mortifying confrontation in which she is naked and both of them attempt to suppress their attraction. Luckily for them, the discrepancy in their scales prevents them acting on their attraction outside of my head. They’ll have to go back inside my head to do anything about it.

Since it was so warm on Saturday, I frolicked outside without a coat on to capture the balmy morning. Jareth modeled a full-circle black cape made by MissMerrythe3rd and turned his face up to the light. My pictures lately tend toward the abstract and black and white. Continue reading Jareth up a tree

I’m making a deal with Lia on DOA to get my third and final BJD, a Soom Uyoo. She comes with the soft, natural Soom default faceup, blue eyes and a completely blushed body. I’ve never had a fully blushed doll before; from the pictures, the light blushing gives her an added delicacy. See my Uyoo, pre-Jennifer, below. Continue reading Jennifer [Soom Uyoo] is coming!

So I’m thinking that the DM Bella would be the best for Frank. Armeleia would mod the neck to make it fit his head. Then I’d sell the default head and buy a Uyoo.

While I’m lusting over DM merchandise, I would like to point out that they have a huge selection of afforadable and versatile clothes. I want a bunch of pieces for Jareth and Frank:

Since most BJD clothes are di$gus$tingly expen$ive, those of us who don’t sew search for well-tailored, affordable clothes. If you’re looking for simple casual wear or mix-‘n’-match separates/coordinates, I recommend Lynn at Annie’s Too. She offers long- and short-sleeved T-shirts, leggings, tights and leg warmers for all sizes of BJDs.

I commissioned some leggings and a long-sleeved T for Jareth, and I’m very satisfied. Waists are on the high side and legs on the long side, which is fine with me, since there’s nothing that I dislike more than clothes that are too short! There is a little extra room built into each pattern to allow for easy dressing and undressing, but the bit of roominess does not detract from the form-fitting look. All seams are sewn; the overall construction is very durable, which is great, as I manhandle my dolls a lot.

NB: The thickness of tops and leggings depends on what material you choose. The shirt shown here is made of 1:1 T-shirt material, while the leopard print is more translucent and more in scale for 1:3 legging material. Other leggings I received from Lynn have more bulk because they are 1:1 T-shirt material. If you are concerned about bulk, you can chat with Lynn about which fabrics would be most in scale.

Lynn charges very reasonable prices and offers exemplary customer service. She communicated with me frequently about my order and answered all my questions, no matter how small they were. She’ll work with you to make sure you are satisfied with your order. I’m definitely ordering from her again when Frank gets his own body.

I tried to take some illustrative pictures of Jareth in his Annie’s Too gear, but my creative tendencies kept making the pictures more artsy-fartsy. Continue reading Annie’s Too leggings and tops for Jareth

I think I like Bella’s head after all. She looks more like Jennifer than Uyoo. She has a child-like look in her large eyes, but also an appropriately serious set to her mouth.

Following the popularity of the ~70 cm Dollshe boys, Dollmore jumps on the trend of 65+ cm dolls with Bella Auden, a 70 cm BJD:

http://www.dollmore.net/shop/step1.php?number=1630

On the plus side… From what I can tell, Bella’s proportions weigh out much better than those of the other tall girl currently available, the etoliated Dollshe Afghan. Furthermore, Bella has much more defined hips and an actual waist, as opposed to Afghan, who looks basically like a 60 cm girl’s head on a Haund body. Additionally, since Bella has ankles [which Dollshe hates to include on its dolls], she fits much better into extant shoes for 60 cm girls. Finally, Bella has a much more attractive head than Afghan, but that’s immaterial for me since I wouldn’t be getting her for the head, just for her carcass.

On the negative side… Bella boasts double-jointed elbows [yay!], but only single-jointed knees [booo!]. She’s like a 1:6 CG 2.0 that way, with highly functional and poseable arms, but legs designed more for form than function. I also think her boobs should be bigger, but that’s not a design flaw, just a personal preference.

Bella represents a great improvement over Anorexic Afghan. She also gives me hope that other companies besides Dollshe and Volks will develop 65+ cms, and I’ll eventually be able to find a tall, meaty, curvy, hyper-articulated body for Frank. I just need to have patience, which is not my strong suit.

I’ve made 1:6, 1:3 and 1:1 books, both readable books and “dummy” books [to fill the shelves], mostly by studying the construction of my own books and working outwards and backwards to create my own from scratch. For an impatient person with no training in booksmithery, I’ve done pretty well.

I should now graduate to leather-bound books, with endpapers and spine ridges and all! I should also take pictures of my readable 1:6 and 1:3 books. Heck, I should even start making 1:1 books, especially since I go through them so quickly.

As I know from my overflowing collection of Laby fan art, people enjoy drawing pictures of Jareth. Over the years, I've collected many beautiful likenesses of Jareth from the movie, and, now that I have a Jareth doll of my own, people have been drawing him.Continue reading Jareth’s fan art, part I

Jareth now has a spiky blond wig in an attempt to replicate the Goblin King’s tacky freak-out hair in the movie. He shows it off, teaching everyone a lesson about photo editing in the process. Continue reading Spiky hair for Jareth / the magic of photo editing

Check it out: Materiel Celeste. It’s a forum for French-speaking BJD lovers and collectors of other imported dolls [like Pinky St., Pullip and Blythe]. It’s like DOA, but plus petit, plus lent et plus intime…et plus poli…ils n’ont pas rit a mon francais abominable!

Last Saturday [2/18], I went down the street to an informal little synagogue called Havurat Shalom. It has a great playground out in back, as well as a circular labyrinth, laid out in bricks like a patio. Jareth stood in the center [because that’s where he belongs] and tried to look imposing in a very Goblin-King-like outfit made by Gayle on DOA. Thanks, Gayle. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that he was looking introspective and knock-kneed, rather than imposing. Continue reading Jareth in a labyrinth

After a hiatus of about two months, (un)real life, my Web drama involving vamps, queers and action figs, returns. My two loyal readers rejoice. Here’s the latest episode. Continue reading (un)real life is not quite dead.

Since I’m undecided about what type of body to get for Frank, I decided to stick him on Jareth’s body, even though it’s the wrong sex, just to see how the fit was. With the addition of a rather flattened old wig of Zephque’s and a top hat, he actually looked pretty groovy. I wanted to invite him up to the lab to see what was on the slab.

The head fits on the body, though Yukinojo’s broad features were clearly built for a wider neck. Haund’s neck seems very slender by comparison. Furthermore, the Yukinojo resin has more undertones of orange and brown than the normal Haund body, which is very, very, very pale. Additionally, since Yukinojo’s neck socket is very deep, the poseability of the head on the Haund body is limited. It turns from side to side, but cannot look up and down much.

I’m not sure whether to go with an Iplehouse Soo Ri body for Frank, which would be appropriately meaty, but not tall enough, or another Haund body, which would be appropriately flexible, but not meaty enough… Anyway, see Frank voguing below. Continue reading Frank on Jareth’s body!

I worked on Frank last night. For those of you curious about my creative process, I’m afraid it’s much more haphazard and much less visionary than you would hope. Motivated by a combination of extreme impatience and only slightly-above-average artistic talent, I cannot precisely replicate the exciting ideas teeming in my brain. Therefore I strive to reproduce the spirit of a likeness, the essence of the character because all its particular details cannot fully translate between my synapses and my hands.

In practice, this means I was drawing last night directly on the resin without having treated it first. The scribbling above represents Prismacolor Dark Brown Fonce [PC947] for eye-liner and eyebrows, Tuscan Red [PC 937] for the lip liner and some red chalk pastel to fill in the lips. You can’t see it, but I used a little red pastel on the insides of the eyes and a mixture of brown and black pastel in the creases of the mouth. Read the rest of the story below. Continue reading De/Refacing a Volks LE

Yukinojo looks so much better without that smeary, hazy default faceup. After removing the paint, I admired the sculpt for some time. For my earlier griping about the unexciting nature of Volks sculpts, I must say that Yukinojo has won me over. The glowy quality and smoothness of Volks resin appeals to me in general, and the sheer amount of detail in Yukinojo’s sculpt pleases me. He strikes a balance between realism and stylization that I haven’t seen in other BJD sculpts.

Naturally I will DESTROY the delicate craftsmanship of the hallowed Volks LE by giving it a faceup with Prismacolor and pastels in a style worthy of circus make-up, bwah hah hah! See below the cut for more paintless pictures of Yukinojo, as well as a mock-up of Frank’s faceup. Continue reading Frank without paint and my plans for him

Look at what I just dug up on figures.com! Plan B Toys [Web site here, but has nothing to do with their Laby line] is showing off its upcoming Laby collectibles at this year’s Toy Fair in New York City. Continue reading Plan B Toys unveils resin Labyrinth statues at Toy Fair.

Jill and I spent over two hours on the phone on Saturday discussing Labyrinth. We noticed the following:

1. There’s a lot of water in the film. Jill pointed out that Sarah runs across a bridge over a stream when she is first seen in the park. Then she gets all wet as the rainstorm chases her home. Water appears again in the Bog of Eternal Stench [and another bridge as well]. Jill even argued that the ballroom bubble is made out of water, but I think that’s pushing it. We didn’t reach any conclusions about the significance of water, but Jill definitely thinks that the bridge in the park prefigures the bridge over the Bog of Stench, in another example of the real world affecting Sarah’s dream world. See below the cut for a laundry list of interesting themes and Jill’s and my speculation thereon. Continue reading Ranting about themes in Labyrinth

So Moggie’s Toyshop made a custom corset for Jareth. The lacing solved the problem of his stupid hip joint popping out; it also took about 15 minutes to do up, so, whether he likes it or not, he’s staying in the corset. Fortunately, though, as you can see, he’s pretty comfortable. I think he was even falling asleep toward the end of the shoot. See below the cut for more. Continue reading Jareth’s new corset

Because Frank’s head [SD 16 Yukinojo] came on Saturday, I’ve been thinking about him recently. I wiped his paint last night [hideous under-the-lip blushing!] and drafted a face-up on a print-out of the unpainted head. Then I harvested bits and pieces from various photos to create a mock-up of Frank on an Afghan body.

Boy…did he look pathetic. Afghan’s body has the right height and flexibility, but she’s so scrawny. She looks like a 12-year-old girl that hit her growth spurt before puberty. She’s painfully thin. As I looked at the mock-up, I realized that I couldn’t use her as a base.

My latest idea for Frank’s body is the Iplehouse long-legged masc body, shown here in tan skin. Great things about the Iplehouse body include: a) idealized, muscular physique; b) double-jointed elbows and knees; c) neat handsculpts; d) cheaper compared to getting a whole Afghan; e) no microcephalic Afghan head to get rid of!

The only cons are a) it’s a masc body and b) it’s shorter than Haund. Some creative shirt-stuffing should take care of a), and platform boots should take care of b). I should make Frank wear all the platforms and Jareth wear all the flats.

I wish that the new Dollfie Dream body with the porn star hooters was scaled up to Afghan’s height. No, better yet, I wish one of the doll companies would make a body like that of a female comic-book character: tall, muscular and well-endowed, with exaggerated curves. But Haund will never have a sex change and lift weights, so…sigh…

Oh yeah…and if anyone wonders what kind of doll I’m trying to make here with all this different parts, I refer you to the concept of the [anatomically impossible and endlessly fascinating] mythological hermaphrodite.

Today he tried to get me to fear him, love him, etc. Jareth is, first and foremost, a character in my head inspired by Jareth the Goblin King from Labyrinth. He comes out of my head in doll form to make smart remarks, steal my books, visit cemeteries and libraries and parks and other cool places with me, etc. Of course, he does the same things when he’s inside my head, but, when he’s in doll form, I get to take pictures of him doing it. Watch Jareth attempt to intimidate me, despite the fact that he’s two feet high. Continue reading Jareth is bossing me around…

Finally, about two and a half months since ordering, Jareth arrived at my house. Thanks to the following for their help with the Jareth Project: Dollshe for the body sculpt, Luts for the procuring and shipping, Armeleia for facial mods, faceup and endless IM chats, MissMerrythe3rd for an affordable and sexy handmade outfit for Jareth, Batchix for the gloves, Posh Dolls for the current pair of boots and Ajumapama for the imminent pair, Daniel Maher Stained Glass for the dichroic glass earrings, all you Laby and BJD freaks for following the saga and, of course, David Bowie and Labyrinth for starting this whole thing in the first place. I’m ecstatic to finally have a BJD to photo again; plus I’m so pleased with the results of my long-distance collaborations with everyone. See Jareth and his balls [well, more like his singular ball] below the cut. Continue reading Jareth and his balls

Heat first finger[s] of left hand with hair dryer??? Then bend???

For red flush on hands, either dilute reddish acrylic or shave red pastel and apply in cracks. Cover with matte varnish. Okay if it globs or drips, since it’s supposed to be sweat.

For fingernails, sand them down extremely short. Create hollows at tops of nails. Either paint red [he was biting them and drew blood] or darker color for shadow created by any existing nail. English Lace acrylic for cuticles [if any]? Hit nails with glossy varnish.

Buy lots of small-link chains from the hardware store. Attach to corset a la skirt???

Sueding may not necessarily involve disassembly!!

Ever since I spent about six hours on screencaps last weekend, I’ve been ruminating about L. Like Mirror Mask, its framing story involves an unhappy family. I asked myself how Sarah’s unhappy family affects her journey through the Labyrinth. Possible answer: It makes Jareth a parental substitute.

Note: Poor Jareth is doing double, triple, even quadruple duty in this movie. Rock star, fashion icon, pin-up boy, Byronic hero, antagonist, DAD?!!?! L is a freakin’ thematic goulash. Hmmmm, you could probably make an argument for Jareth as floating signifier, but that might mess up the entire pretense of the Realm… Anyway, click below for more. Continue reading Jareth as the alternative parent

Rapture, ecstasy, joy and all that. See below the cut for PICTURES! Continue reading Jareth and Frank together at last!

Looky looky — final photos! I’ll just quote my drooling to Armeleia: “I’m very pleased with the way that he turned out. You executed the James Marsters cheekbones perfectly, as well as the David Bowie nose. I think the mouth resembles Bowie’s as well, especially in profile. He also seems to balance between stereotypically masculine and stereotypically feminine pretty well.

“I especially like the rough, blurry nature of the pastels; they make his eyes seem even more shadowed. He looks tired, vulnerable and thoughtful. He looks like a vampire that’s been punched in both eyes. He looks like a skeleton with skin. He looks pale and smirky and bony and, in short, very much like Jareth.”

Pictures below the cut! Continue reading Jareth comes out: final photos!

Armeleia and I have created a new way of collaborating: telecustomizing! From 9:30 PM on February 5th to 1:30 AM on February 6th, we logged into Yahoo chat to do Jareth’s faceup together. Every 15 to 30 minutes, Armeleia pinged me to update me. [Yahoo chat has a BUZZ!!! feature that sounds like a doorbell and makes the whole window jounce.] I got pictures after his base coat, his eyelashes/liner, his eyebrows, his lips and the shading. [Pics at various stages below the cut now.] Continue reading Telecustomizing: how Jareth was done

I spent about six hours last night and this morning taking screencaps from every part of Labyrinth. Along the way, I noticed something very irritating: Labyrinth repeats itself constantly. This isn’t about thematic consistency. No, this is more mundane. The film recycles on a simple level [e.g., with repetition of dialog] and on a greater, structural level. It’s like getting two movies for the price of one, only they’re the same movie. Continue reading Labyrinth: two movies for the price of one

Thanks to Armeleia’s hack ‘n’ slash last night, Jareth’s nose is now much more proportional to his face. It also has more of a Bowie-like profile to it. I was looking for something straighter, but she gave him a bit of the bow shape that David Bowie has. Good thing I don’t mind. He still looks serenely devious.

PATION!!!

La tete de la poupee de Frank arrived at Rinkya today, so I requested EMS shipment. It should go out next Thursday. Curses. I will have no BJD or BJD parts to show off at the Burlington doll meet on February 11th. My first [and last — canceling Rinkya account after Frank arrives safely] experience with a deputy auction service has been fast, smooth and painless so far, but apparently not fast enough for the deepest part of myself that craves instant gratification.

I can’t wait for Jareth to arrive. No, seriously, I have great trouble waiting. My internal monolog runs around in my head, going, “IwantmydollIwantmydollIwantmydoll…” Though I go to work, do my other hobbies [yes, I do have those], prepare for said doll’s arrival and otherwise try to alleviate my obsessive impatience, it will not go away. It’s not that I’m particularly worried about the doll’s mods or that it’s taking too long; it’s just that I don’t have it yet and I want it.

The line I have drawn on his nose below shows where I would like to reduce that ski jump and make it more nasal in shape. Also see that I sketched his face in preliminarily. Look at his smirk!

According to additional press information that I dug up today, the 12″ Palisades Toys Jareth action figure will be released on April 26th. Accessories include three crystal balls, a riding crop and his pendant. Also [direct quote here], “one figure per case will also sport Jareth’s purple leather coat.” I have no idea what they’re referring to because Jareth doesn’t have a purple leather coat. I’ll have to buy one to make fun of it.

A few months back, my friend Katrine and her friend got into a big discussion about MM which gets at its central theme of dreams and responsibility. When Helena objects to performing yet again, her mom, Joanne, tries to coerce her into participating by saying, “You know your father keeps this circus running on peanuts. It’s his dream.” Later, in the Light Lands, when speaking to the Prime Minister, Helena states, “It’s my dream. I’ll find the Mirror Mask.” [Or something to that effect.] Further on in the movie, Helena talks to Joanne, who sees Valentine in the background and says, “Hullo, did I dream you a boyfriend?” So we have three dreams competing for supremacy here: Morris’, Joanne’s and Helena’s. Whose dream is MM? Thanks to mysterious LJ user lupa for the thoughts about Helena as child laborer. Continue reading “It’s my dream”: whose dream is Helena caught in?

Armeleia has finished blocking on the cheekbone seen in this photo. The other looks much rougher, so we’ll just focus on this side as a promise of things to come. I really like how these cheekbones are coming. They seem to emphasize the smirk of the Haund headsculpt, as well as the downward glance of the eyes. The photo also reminds me how ridiculously huge Haund’s nose is. I like the shape, but it’s too large. It looks like a ski jump. See for yourselves below. Continue reading Jareth’s updated profile

I figured out how to pull pictures from completed YJ auctions, so I proudly present two photos of what should be coming in the mail to me. Can’t wait to get out my trowel and apply something on Frank reminiscent of Tim Curry’s in Rocky Horror, only with slightly less foundation and eye-shadow. Continue reading Bring me the head of Yukinojo! [pictures]

I never fathomed impulse BJD purchases, primarily because of the large sums involved. Now, after having successfully bid a disgusting amount for an eyeless SD 16 Yukinojo Sawaragi head on Yahoo Japan, I still don’t fathom them. Nope, sorry…no pictures. I forgot to pull them before the auction ended. If anyone can help me there, I’d be grateful. Exultation and musing over BJD likenesses follows. Continue reading Holy fork, I won a Yukinojo head on YJ!

SD16 Yukinojo has such a sweet face. He would make a perfect Frank. But he costs five billion dollars, and he’s an LE, and all I want is his stupid head.

Just some blather about companies I like and dislike. Isn’t this fascinating? Continue reading BJD companies I like and ones I don’t

…and I was forced to spend it on BJDs, this is what I would get… Continue reading If I had $10,000…

There’s a running thread on DOA about dolls with disabilities. Since he’s based off me, Jareth has dysthymia and hyperhidrosis. I plan to blush his hands really red because that’s a prime effect of hyperhidrosis, and I might use some glossy varnish to simulate sweat drips on his fingers. I’m also going to make it look like he has bitten nails. Jareth will be the first doll with an anti-manicure.

Hyperhidrosis is a condition characterized by extremely overactive sweat glands. Continue reading Dolls with disabilities

Best of CG Cutey Honey Kisaragi Variant. The CH sculpt always charms me with the truly epicanthic eyes and slightly parted mouth, as if she will speak up. Despite my tergiversation about Kisaragi vs. Triad’s upcoming bodies, I guess I will be purchasing Kisaragi after all.

Due out in March of this year, Best of Cool Girl Gatchaman G3 Jun in CG Dark Version can be yours for a measly $85.00 from HLJ, not including shipping.

Takara’s Best of… line pisses me off. Continue reading Dominatrix Jun, or Takara cheaps out.

The Realm is busting out of its current organizational system. It really looks ugly and user-hostile [that’s the opposite of user-friendly].

And lo, the realization descended upon me in a flash: Jareth’s Realm needs to run like a blog with easy updating, tags, cleanly designed tables and such.

Off to look at the blogging options available on my magnifico Web server, Drak.net.

I bought Jareth some spectacular duds [better than MINE]: a custom set of gloves from batchix, a pair of CheeryDoll mixed black shitkickers and a custom corset from Moggie’s Toyshop, where the fetish gear is so realistic that people think it’s for 1:1 people, not 1:3 dollies! [I despair of ever owning corsetry this cool.] If you care why Jareth just got a vast closet expansion, see below the cut. Continue reading Doll plans change; Jareth gets a wardrobe.

…Which is exactly the effect I’m looking for. Armeleia has been sanding industriously away at Jareth’s left cheekbone [it’s on the right-hand side in the photos below]. She acknowledges that his right cheekbone [on the left side of the photo] is too large, but progress takes time. “He’s going to be perfect and symmetrical if it kills me!” she declares. Knowing her tendency for perfectionism, I think she might die before she smooths out his roughness. I jest. 😉 I think that, even now, the results are very promising. See for yourself below the cut. Continue reading You could hurt yourself on those cheekbones.

Nick Berquist, author of the original 50 signs you’re a guy Laby freak, just sent me 51 MORE signs today, including… Continue reading More signs of Laby obsession for guys

I put up a Japanese article from Rockin’ On, as well as a vintage promotion from Frontline magazine for Laby T-shirts. Both articles have great photos of Jareth and Sarah in ballroom gear.

I worked on Helena’s Room a bit last night, adding a biography of Stephanie Leonidas, who plays Helena. Since the bio is rather lacking in info, I also send fan mail today to Stephanie and to her agent. Hopefully I will get a response with more details on this talented and sexy actor! [Hopefully she’s not overwhelmed with fan mail, so I might even get a reply soon.]

Speaking of the pathetic bio, you won’t believe how hard I scoured the Net, seeking information about Stephanie. Despite consistent stage and screen credits since 2001, the girl remains elusive. What I did find, though, really impressed me. Look below the cut for fan blather. Continue reading Helena’s Room updated: bio of the star added, etc.

Armeleia showed me a photo of her intended Milliput additions to Jareth’s face. Let’s see how he’ll look in future, shall we? Continue reading Jareth concept update: “Old Man of the Mountains”

Besides the film, added features include: Day 16: A Time-Lapse Video of One Day On-Set, Neil Talks: A Conversation with Neil Gaiman, ComicCon 2003: A Q&A session, Behind The Scenes with Dave McKean, Flight of the Monkeybirds Featurette, Off-Set Making-of Featurette. MSRP: $27.00. I can’t wait!

I also ordered a copy of The Alchemy of Mirror Mask today, so watch for my review.

New essays up at Helena’s Room: Is Mirror Mask a rip-off of Labyrinth? What are dolls and sex doing in MM and L? [Lots of pretty pictures in this essay.] Also in Helena’s Room, I kicked off the Merchandise section with a review of the MM novella. I linked to the Labyrinth/MM section from the Realm’s analysis page too. Continue reading Massive Helena’s Room updates, small Realm update.

Anna W. has some cute manga-style cartoons at the Realm now. I can’t believe she was 11 when she did them. [Maybe I just feel old.] Also you can now read Nick Berquist’s full list for signs of Laby obsession in guys. He impersonates Jareth on a regular basis, and he’s proud of it. Now that’s my kind of man. 😀

DEDF now up to $358.64. 49.9% of the way there. Continue reading DEDF up a nice chunk o’ change.

A little late in posting, but check out my review of the Mirror Mask novella.

The stereotypical Laby fan is a lustfully hormonal teenaged girl [or a woman with the hormones of a lustful teenaged girl] who wishes she had a personal Jareth to do naughty activities with. MALE Jareth/Laby fans do exist, however. But they are just overwhelmed by the squealing of the aforementioned girls.

I have proof that guy fans exist because one of them wrote to me: a hilarious document entitled “50 Signs That You Are Obsessed With Labyrinth: Humor for GUYS.” I’ll post the whole list eventually, but here’s my favorite item:

21. Your answering machine message is Laby related. (Mine: “Hello, you’ve reached the Goblin King. Just fear me, love me, do as I say, and leave a message after the beep.”) Continue reading Humor for Jareth-obsessed GUYS!

fragileshell has a pirate hat pattern that I think I could actually follow, even given my complete impatience with the sewing machine: http://www.livejournal.com/users/fragileshell/8429.html

DEDF now boasts $248.64, just enough for a Uyoo! Must…resist…urge…to buy…Jennifer… I realize that, with Sardonix’ departure, I have no one to photograph in the cemeteries, and, given Jennifer’s current interest in graveyards, she’d be perfect. But what’s a Jennifer doll without a Frank doll first?

In future doll news, Kallisti has pics of the new Unoas up on Blastmilk http://www.livejournal.com/users/blastmilk/239890.html . Nope, no Unoa for me, but I think Frank’s breasts should be similar, only scaled up in proportion to the Afghan base body. [Heck, I think Afghan should have had a rack like that originally, possibly even bigger. Then again, my preferences for dolls’ chests are heavily influenced by top-heavy CGs.]

I need to figure out how to add filters on this thing. EDIT: I figured out how. I used my link list to add links to sets of tagged entries. I feel clever.

Sardonix sold for $160.00, her boots for $45.00. All money to Frank fund!

Armeleia sent photos this morning showing rough mods to Jareth’s head. Basically I commissioned mods on the cheeks [a la James Marsters because I don’t have a thing for BTVS’ Spike, no, not at all] and chin [a la David Bowie circa 1975 because I don’t have a thing for the Man Who Sold the World, no, not at all]. Let’s see how she’s doing, shall we? Continue reading DEDF update; Jareth progress pix

Looky! My review of SST’s Drusilla femfig got published. I’m famous!

Continue reading DOA links about modifications and tools

Jen [merryallthemoreso] finally finished the wardrobe I commissioned for my upcoming Jareth doll. Everything’s exactly to specifications, and I’m quite pleased. Her Haund, Damien, looks less amused, however, to be modeling clothes that just aren’t his style, honey! Pics below. Continue reading Jareth’s clothes: lookin’ good!

Thanks to some Xmas money, the DEDF now has ~$138 in it. Woo hoo! My goal is $718. That is the cost of a full Afghan and a regular Haund head from Tensiya. I wish I could just get the Afghan body and the Haund head, but noooo, Afghan comes with a head. I have someone who wants the head, though, so it seems that constructing la poupee de Frank is mostly a matter of money…and modification. That $718 doesn’t cover facial and boobtacular mods needed for a true likeness. I’m so impatient, been waiting to have 3-D forms of these characters for DECADES… Part of me wants to drop the $$$ RIGHT NOW. Grargh.

The Web boosted Labyrinth to true cult status during the early part of its second decade, but it wasn’t until the new millennium that the establishment registered just how much we loved the movie. And I was there [still…]. Continue reading Labyrinth timeline, part III: 2000-2006

The way I see it, very little happened in Labyrinth’s first decade. But, with the advent of its second decade and the help of the burgeoning Internet, Labyrinth hit cult status. And I was there! Continue reading Labyrinth timeline, part II: 1996-1999

In 2006, Labyrinth turns 20, while the Realm turns 10. Jesus, I can’t believe it’s been that long. As I reflected back over the past two decades, I started making a timeline of Labyrinth and its fandom. Continue reading Labyrinth timeline, part I: 1986-1996

I would have a modded SA Haund for Jareth, like I already do [only he’s not in my possessive little mitts yet]. Frank would be a modded regular Haund head on an Afghan body with severe breast augmentation. And Jennifer would be a Uyoo. Then I could have the whole Stichomythy in manipulable format! *…pauses to wander among thoughts…* Wow, I hope the D.E.D.F. (Disgustingly Expensive Doll Fund) receives an infusion this Xmas.

I haven’t been doing much with the Realm in the past six months, but I have lots of cool stuff in the pipeline. Continue reading Coming in 2006!

Pix from DollMore:

http://www.dollmore.net/shop/step1.php?number=1263

I was really hoping for a tall, sexy fem. But noooo…we get an anorexic with a face that’s 10 years too young for her body. And NO BOOBIES! She is clearly not the 1:3 Cy Girl I seek. No matter…Continue reading Anneka Elizabeth in 1:3

Jill thinks Jareth wants Toby because Jareth thinks it would be less intimidating to interact with a kid than a babelicious girl. Then he realizes that Sarah is an immature dolt like him, and sparks fly. Full theory, quoting Jill, below. Continue reading Bawk bawk: Jill says Jareth is a chicken.

Last night he arrived! I asked Armeleia to take pix on Jareth’s arrival. I also asked her modded Haund, Beau Morraine, to help with the box opening. He did, though Armeleia says he was very weirded out by the whole thing. Pics below. Continue reading Jareth arrives at Armeleia’s — Morraine deboxes!

I took many screencaps today for the purpose of adding smart remarks and using them as photo illustrations in essays. Dunno when I’ll have time to upload. You’ll have to make do with this for now.

Latest: Jareth shipped! Directly to the modifier. I don’t know who reads this, but I for one am excited!

http://toychest.diamondcomics.com/toys/11_05/14_labyrinth.htm

Looks promising. I hope the proto is equal to the final. Those pants, however, have GOT to go. He doesn’t wear anything so tacky in the film. He’s more…campy.

[First in a series, eh? I’m waiting for Drag Queen Jareth and Superwhiny Sarah!!]

Installment payments should start Monday. Cross your fingers for me! Continue reading I ordered SA Haund!

Yep. Can’t fight it. Want Haund. Am now looking about to see what I can sell to raise money.

This was the doll that I wanted when I got Zephque. Unfortunately Haund was not available.

Duuuuuuude, a mega Jareth doll!

The 2005 fantasy film MirrorMask is billed as being “in the tradition of Dark Crystal and Labyrinth.” Well, it’s more than that. MirrorMask is less of a tribute and more of a rewrite of Labyrinth [which is itself a rip-off of many classics]. I wrote an essay about Labyrinth’s influence on Mirror Mask, but I have yet to get it uploaded. See tantalizing sample below… Continue reading Mirror Mask: the hidden sequel to Labyrinth

I have two new essays up: one about why Jareth wants Toby, another about why Labyrinth stinks.

All you Laby freaks should go check out Helena’s Room, my site about the upcoming fantasy flick MirrorMask. It’s the same sort of twisted dream adventure as Labyrinth was, this time fueled by the imaginative power of Neil Gaiman, Steve McKean and the Henson Company. Helena’s Room contains analysis, photos, fan art and blather, just like Jareth’s Realm!

The Jim Henson Co., Tokyopop and Neil Gaiman collaborate to <strike>bastardize</strike> adapt Labyrinth and Mirror Mask into manga. That includes the prequel to Mirror Mask, which explains how the Dark Princess got the Mask in the first place, and the SEQUEL to Labyrinth, in which Toby, 13, revisits the maze to claim Jareth’s throne. Didn’t know there was a sequel? Me neither. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry, but I will certainly buy. Full details below: Continue reading Labyrinth and Mirror Mask appearing as manga

Courtesy of Jen Gagne again: I read your point about how the Labyrinth’s ‘gradeschool boy humor’ seemed like the product of the real life men involved in the production, rather than being in-character for a fantasy of Sarah’s. But I think it actually made sense that way considering the whole thing was set up to turn her expectations on end and be less temptingly wonderful than she might’ve originally expected.

On September 30, MirrorMask, the latest film by the Jim Henson Company, is coming out. It’s the story of a 15-year-old girl who makes a stupid wish that jeopardizes a family member. In order to rescue her family member, she must journey to a confusing and dream-like alternate world populated by odd creatures. Hmmmm, why is this sounding familiar? I’ve ordered the book of the screenplay. Watch this space for a discussion about Labyrinth and MirrorMask. In the mean time, go to IMDB to find out more about the film: MirrorMask on IMDB.

Basically he says that Labyrinth did very well in the after market, so the Henson Co. decided to rip it off and cash in…which just goes to show that Hollywood was recycling long before you were separating your paper from your plastic.

“Jareth definitely appears to be a symbolic incarnation of Sarah’s mother’s boyfriend. I believe he represents what the boyfriend did to her family, rather than a specific act against Sarah personally.” So saith Jen Gagne, a devoted fan. Her thoughts follow…Continue reading Alternative theory for Jareth / Sarah’s boyfriend

Picture of Gigglegeek’s Haund:

http://www.denofangels.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=22414&highlight=hound

Note to self: Exploit the smirk when it arrives!

http://aanu.cafe24.com/angelthecool-2005/html/01info-aboutBM.htm

http://aanu.cafe24.com/angelthecool-2005/html/01info-aboutnewBM.htm

http://aanu.cafe24.com/angelthecool-2005/html/01info-BM-HD.htm

Info about body comparisons and measurements as presented by the artist who’s doing LEs of Bermann. It’s fun to read her posts because she really, really loves what she’s doing. 😀

Mess around with outfits and accessories on paper dolls mostly in the form of stylized female celebrities.

http://www.paperdollheaven.com/

FUN!

Today, for your reading pleasure, I translated a Dutch article where Jim Henson talks about working with the puppets of Labyrinth. Cool stuff.

So I have this idea that Sarah’s mom’s boyfriend sexually abused her, and that explains Jareth. “Whaaaat?” you say. Well, read this, and THEN say you don’t believe me.

Fashion Victims series 2 dolls by Mezco.

http://store1.yimg.com/I/gargoylesanddarkactionfigures_1822_837033 Continue reading Consumption will fill the void within me!

http://www.volks.co.jp/jp/volks/tenshinosato/index_tenshinosato.aspx

You can see the minuscule ones [maybe 5″ tall??] in this picture, along with the Virgin Mary statue, also known, strangely enough, as “Mother SD.” The Virgin Mary generates SDs?! Does Catholicism know about this? :p Continue reading Volks has plans for a whole bunch’a’ dolls.

I pulled this review of Labyrinth from The Rough Guide to Kids’ Movies (Dorling Kindersley, 2004) by Paul Simpson: “Jim Henson was so fed up with the comparative financial failure of Dark Crystal that he decided to make a film combining puppets with real actors. ‘Nasty and funny puppets work well,’ he decided, ‘but straightforward heros and heroines don’t.’ So, in this film, Sarah is given thirteen hours by Jareth (David Bowie), king of the goblins, to negotiate a giant labyrinth and win back her grizzling brother. Kids will be amused by the goblins, the clumsy dwarf and by the sugar plum fairies — grown-ups, as the Radio Times noted, might get more fun out of David Bowie’s Tina Turner wig. Ten minutes too long, and with a narrative that doesn’t quite match the special effects, this isn’t quite the tour de force it could have been. Maybe they should have kept a few more ideas from Terry Jones’s original script.” I agree!

Click over here for some charming Laby outtakes by Stacy.

Check out this interview for insights into Jareth and just how much of a hand David Bowie had in the film. There’s also a droolworthy piece of broody Jareth. Thank you, Solea, for all your loans of ephemera.

Sorry ’bout the hiatus, folks. Getting married’ll do that to ya. :p 😀 Now that I’m back, please check out the pictures of the collector’s DVD [including conceptual sketches!], details on the ultra-rare Labyrinth game and…as the crowning touch…NAPKINS! Yes, you too could blow your nose on Jareth….. “Well?! Laugh!” I certainly did…. [Thank you to Solea, who checks this site religiously, for all the memorabilia she lets me photo! And for checking this site religiously. At least SOMEBODY visits! :p]

Thanks to Solea for letting me scan this Dutch article, which has an overview of the film and some rare pix of Jennifer Connelly doing something ELSE besides the “Duh Pose.” Poor Jennifer Connelly. The script gave her a lot of whiny and/or staring moments: not a lot to work with. [Although her mouth DOES hang open in all her other films, so… :p]

I think the title says it all. I translated this rare French curiosity and laughed at the hyperbole. “Labyrinth isn’t a dream in the strictest sense, but a dream come true!” Yeah, right. Cut down on the LSD, man.

All the docu stills [thanks, Stacy!] are now accessible. Now you can finally see what comments I added to each…

Check Heather D.’s fan art. Oh yeah, and I made it so you can actually get to the French interview with Jim Henson that I spent millions of years transcribing. Enjoy! I particularly like the fact that he admits David Bowie was chosen for SEX APPEAL. [Which still doesn’t explain why the movie is rated PG, given the appearance of DB’s bulge…]

Oooh, check this out! Plan-B Toys is thinking of doing resin statues of Labyrinth creatures. No Jareth and Sarah, though…they don’t have the license. Guess you’ll have to buy my custom dolls instead. 😉

Elfin Jareth and swooning Sarah appear in Eleanor Jacksson’s latest creation, “Jareth and Sarah: Dreams.” Ah, romance!

See…TOLDJA I’d update. :p Eleanor Jacksson did some neato fan art for me.

Now you can easily track updates on your favorite site. Check the Blog of Eternal Stench. [I’m so funny! ‘…Well?! Laugh?’]

Not only do you get to find out what happened when here, you can also interact more directly with me than through that bleeping gbook [note to self: delete that sucker and create one on own server]. You can make comments on my updates. Looking forward to hearing from you…

It’s about time. You can buy it, but I don’t recommend it.

Translated from French by yours truly. Is Sarah really a brat? Is Jareth really sexy as hell? Read the director’s opinion.

The collector’s DVD is out, and it’s not worth your money.

Did some new romantic fan art in quite a moody, broody, Gothy style, if I do say so myself.