TV: Deutschland 83 Close-textual analysis

Type up your analysis from the lesson using the headings below. You may want to watch the key scenes again and develop your notes in further detail - the more specific and memorable your analysis, the better it will serve you when writing an essay on TV drama. Remember, you can watch the episode for free on the All 4 website.

Scene 1: Garden/BBQ scenes (East & West Germany)
4.58 – 8.20 and 34.00 – 37.20

Make notes under the following headings:

East Germany scene Technical codes – particularly mise-en-scene

• House is very run down and has traditional furniture
• Characters are wearing old style, traditional clothing 
• Everyone is smoking inside
• Lots of close ups, medium shots and long shots with lots of people crowded in house

Representation of East & West Germany / Family / Gender

• East Germany is represented as having very strong family values
• A sense of community and celebration
• Less popular culture and entertainment in the East
• East Germany is very poor- can't afford to give people treatment (Martin's mother needs a kidney transplant)
• Traditional male stereotypes are reinforced- Martin goes to army and is strong
• Goods are being smuggled from the West to the East (coffee and books)

West Germany sceneTechnical codes – particularly mise-en-scene

• Really big, modern house
• Lots of food available and very posh
• Waiters serving food
• Colours are more vivid- clothes and houses, etc.
• Wearing formal clothing at the party- men in suits and women in dresses
• Champagne and wine being served
• General Jackson is black (there isn't much cultural diversity in East Germany)
• Camera circles around Martin and characters - reference to the spy element of the drama- Martin is being enclosed on

Representation of East & West Germany / Family / Gender

• More luxurious life in the West
• Upper class, rich culture
• West has more to offer- goods
• 'Identity crisis'- the West are more in touch with wider culture than the East and they have a choice of what they want to be
• Sophistication element- dressed elegantly
• The daughter got her posture ready to sing
• Martin didn't understand what 'Black music' is
• Martin almost gave his identity away (Cuba are communist)

Scene 2: Martin/Moritz first sees the West German supermarket 
14.30 – 20.25

Make notes under the following headings:

Technical codes – particularly mise-en-scene

• Really big West German house
• Modern clothing- brands (Puma), jeans & trainers
• Martin thrown off guard when he saw supermarket full of fresh stock
• Record player- 1980s technology (period detail)- authentic
• Police men eating ice cream- West Germany is more relaxed
• Camera behind Martin as he walks through the supermarket- audience are following him

Audio codes – particularly music

• American music playing in supermarket- 'Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams' (1980s)
• Ominous music at the beginning of the scene

Representation of East & West Germany / Communism & Capitalism

• Bonn- capital of West Germany
• West Germany more privileged 

Audience pleasures

• Audience get to see the cultural differences between the two Germanys (surveillance)

Scene 3: Training montage scene when Martin/Moritz learns how to be a spy
20.40 – 22.40

Make notes under the following headings:

Technical codes – particularly camerawork and editing

• Fast pace editing
• Compilation style editing (montage)
• Lots of mirrors and glass shots- to make the audience feel like spys
• Split screen is a physical representation of the Berlin wall

Audio codes

• Upbeat music playing in background- builds tension and excitement 
• Sound effects- camera shots

Audience pleasures

• Dramatic irony- we know what happened to the real Stamm but Martin doesn't 
• Kramer is a helper/donar- audience feels like Martin will succeed in the mission so continue watching (Propp)
• Diversion- as normal people wouldn't be spies so they can experience it through Martin

Intertextuality

• James Bond style
• Rocky training montage

Scene 4: Briefcase scene when Martin/Moritz is stealing the NATO nuclear plans
31.13 – 33.30

Make notes under the following headings:

Technical codes – particularly camerawork and editing

• Extreme close ups of him opening the briefcase and trying to unlock the door
• Low angle on Martin when he's looking at the documents
• High angle shot when inside the room- CCTV camera
• Sped up match-on-action editing, exaggerates how he has to work quickly

Audience pleasures

• Diversion- fun and exciting as it gets your heart rate up
• Visceral pleasure
• Surveillance (real events)