December Update

Well, things have been quite busy recently.

I've bought a couple of tops recently too. One of them is a wonderful jumper which has part of a shirt underneath with a pixie collar and oh I wish I could wear it to work. I'm unsure of the actual material but it's so lovely. It's funny that now I've started to buy more I've started to get a bit more cagey. I wonder if I should not go in those stores for a while in case someone 'catches on' or if I should stop buying things altogether because now I've reached that point I wonder if it's worth it all. What's the point of having nice clothes and not getting the use out of them because I only dress once in a while and it's not like I actually go out in them. This hasn't stopped me feeling that I want more though like a nice skater dress or a tight knee length skirt or a new black skirt. It feels that a new world has opened up a little this last year or at least one I'm allowing myself to be part of.

I had a family Christmas and it was as nice and as filling as usual. Enjoyed this year's Doctor Who as well.  

I've started reading some more TG fiction recently as well but I should be doing some separate posts about that hopefully soon. I've also been writing some. I wanted to write a Role Exchanger story about an office Christmas party and put it up here in time for Christmas but sadly that wasn't to be but I;m still working on it and if you're on the Haven part of it has already gone up in caption form. 

Here's a little snippet though. It may be a bit rough at the moment: 

Disclaimer: The Role Exchanger concept is the property of Morpheus and the original stories can be found at Fictionmania. The below is my own work. 

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Natalie and Tim were talking in the corner. Tim put down his drink and headed for the door. “Back in a minute, just going for a smoke,” he said as she sighed. They had been going out for 6 months now and one of the only things they disagreed on was his smoking. “I told you, you should get one of those vape things,” she replied. “Nothing like the real thing,” he added. “Well, enjoy the rain,” she smiled as a blue light caught her eye. “I won’t,” he said, walking down the stairs. The lingering smoke from Tim’s jacket, now resting on the back of the chair suddenly set something off in Natalie. Usually she found it a turn off, it used to get right up her nose, but now there was something so warm and familiar about it. She grabbed the jacket, put it around her shoulders and headed outside after Tim.

Sheltering from the rain, Tim just about got his cigarette lit but started coughing as the disgusting taste spread throughout his mouth. It can’t be the brand I always buy the same? Why was the taste so terrible? How had he managed to smoke this much for the last ten years? Suddenly Natalie appeared from behind him. “Say, um, maybe I out to try one. I never have before,” she said meekly. “Here, knock yourself out,” Tim sighed, passing her his still burning cigarette. He felt frustrated and smoking was supposed to relieve that but perhaps he was better off without it. Natalie seemed to be enjoying it though and indeed it felt like a comfortable and relaxing old habit to her. This was great; all her frustrations seemed to drift away. What hadn’t she been doing this before? “I think I’m going back inside and get some food, are you coming?” Tim asked. “Actually I might stay for another,” she replied, already thinking of nipping to one of the nearby shops for her own pack. “ Here you go,” he said, pressing his half empty pack and lighter into her hand. “Enjoy the rain,” he added, heading inside.

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Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde (1971)

I think I mentioned this film in an earlier blog but today I gave it proper watch after having it on my DVR for the last couple of months so I thought I would do a quick blog. 

This is a sex-swap Hammer horror take on The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson which has to be the granddaddy of all transformation fiction. The film was written by Brian Clemens who sadly died earlier this year and who wrote for many great TV shows including The Avengers and The Professionals. 

The story is set in Victorian London and sees workaholic scientist Dr. Jekyll begin work on an elixir of life using female hormones. The potion turns him into a beautiful but deadly woman whom he passes off as his sister 'Mrs Hyde' whenever anyone asks. Jekyll is forced to continue killing young women to continue his research and as Hyde becomes the dominant personality, she takes over the killing to sustain herself. The two personalities battle for their body and things reach a head over the Spencer family who live upstairs. Jekyll begins a friendship with doe-eyed Susan while Hyde falls for her brother Howard. Ultimately the police catch up with Jekyll after his latest killing and he falls to his death from a rooftop caught in mid-transformation for ever more while his hastily written confession burns in the lab. 

This is an entertaining Victorian mash-up which includes the elements of the real life stories of grave robbers Burke and Hare and Jack the Ripper which Jekyll becoming the feared Whitechapel killer. Although he isn't named as such (and is only referred to as The Ripper once) all the elements are there from the top hat and cloak and the removal of organs with surgical precision. I think there's even a Sweeney Todd reference. Sadly, we don't see Jekyll in drag after changing back but we do get Hyde in a dressing gown. Martine Beswick is brilliant as Hyde in a succession of red dresses (starting with a curtain) symbolizing her bloody birth, talents as a murderess and sexuality. Hyde is her own separate personality rather than being just Jekyll in female form. The first transformation is marvellous too as we seamlessly switch from one actor to another.

Sexual repression is often a theme with TF stories and here Hyde is the more sensual but after the transformations also wake Jekyll up to his feelings for Susan. There is a lovely moment though when Jekyll reaches out and touches Howard's face; confusing his feelings as Hyde becomes more dominant. 

This was an enjoyable movie overall.