Film Appreciation
Written and directed by Charleen Weiss and Hannes Stolpe, 40 Days is a short film that follows Grace as she mourns the loss of her brother, Finn. Over the course of 40 days, she navigates her grief while his soul searches for refuge. In a final act of closure, Grace writes her brother a letter—knowing that once she burns it, she'll have to let go and begin to move forward.
via Charleen Weiss
Music Appreciation
Alaska y Dinarama solidified their cultural impact with Ni tú ni nadie, a track included on their second studio album Deseo carnal. Although the album was released in 1984, Hispavox and Polydor issued the song as its second single in February 1985.
Written by Carlos Berlanga and Nacho Canut and produced by Nick Patrick, the song later appeared on the compilation Grandes éxitos (1994). Alaska has noted that Canut drew inspiration from 1950s Hollywood film noir, lending the song a dramatic emotional tension beneath its pop surface.
Musically, “Ni tú ni nadie” is rooted in pop but incorporates elements of baroque and progressive pop, marked by elegant melodies and layered arrangements. Alaska sings in a notably low vocal register, reinforcing the song’s mood of restraint and resolve.
The lyrics, delivered in the first person, explore the fallout of a painful relationship and the struggle to survive a breakup, insisting that neither the former partner “nor anyone else” can change the narrator. Structurally, the song follows a verse-chorus format, enriched by ringing bells, Alaska’s audible sighs in the instrumental bridges, and even a French horn—part of Deseo carnal’s broader use of wind instruments.
Commercially and culturally, the song was a major success, becoming Alaska’s second number-one single in Spain. It was proposed as Spain’s entry for the 1985 OTI Song Festival, though the idea was rejected by the selection committee.
Sources:
Wikipedia
https://www.discogs.com/release/216465-Alaska-Y-Dinarama-Deseo-Carnal
https://elpais.com/noticias/alaska-dinarama/
https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20200209/movida-madrilena-cuando-espana-dio-salto-del-blanco-negro-color/2000000.shtml
https://www.hhv.de/en-US/records/item/alaska-y-dinarama-deseo-carnal-pink-and-blue-vinyl-edition-1167982?srsltid=AfmBOop207-A5OxyARRRfE3MhTgk2DaUHMsFdOapE27w2O7P7b6Lm_-D
Dancers: La Catalina, Olga Popova, Natalia Rodikova, Irina Sapozhnikova, and Tanya Zhuravleva
via La Catalina
Album Cover
Album: Rush - Moving Pictures
Released: February 12, 1981
Artwork: Hugh Syme
Photographer: Deborah Samuel
Models: Mike Dixon, Bobby King, Kelly Jay, Deborah Samuel's family (on the right)
Source: Wikipedia
