Moving Image Analysis

Moving Image Analysis

‘Life on Mars’

      The third episode of the second series called ‘Car Bomb’ contains the theme of racism and how women are treated by the dominant male characters. It begins with an urgent call about a suspicious car outside a school it is put down as a bomb, Sam Tyler, the main character, knows it wouldn’t be a bomb as being from the future he knows there were no reports of car bombs outside a school in 1973 however he is proved wrong as a heated conversation with another officer about Sam trying to impress Annie, the only female in the police force and a member of the main gang. This is the first moment we see the single women singled out from her male friends, we also see how the men react to trying to impress her Sam tries to avoid the conversation and focus only on the mysterious car in front of them, while his friend approaches the car with silence and with the tension building leaving the audience on the edge of their seats,. The car explodes making him be swept off his feet this emphasises the size of the explosion as the camera can only see half of the car however this shows the distance the officer is to his partners, as his friends run to his aid editing has been done to the movement of the characters making them run in slow motion this adds to the shock to the unexpected event.

      The women officer Annie acts and also represents the mother figure to all the male officers she cares for all her friends and also has a strong independent image this is her going against the stereotype that women are too sensitive to be police officers. We first see this caring personality as Annie collects money from her fellow colleges to give to the injured officer in hospital everyone contributes to the fund she is the only character to use polite manners in the episode this can symbolise the good cop in every police force. Annie is the only women in the room amongst all the men showing how it is unusual for women to be a police officer in those times.

      As the main character Sam looks at all the evidence he plans to visit the accused workers officer to find more clues about the next suspected bomb attack. Sam asks Annie to join him, this suggests the close bond between them, even when all the male officers abandoned Sam he knows Annie wouldn’t as she supports and cares for everyone however we see how she is caught in the middle of her friends and colleges, at 37:52 Annie is told to remain with the other officers and not to go with Sam as she decides who to follow one of the officers speaks in a low tone “your coming with us” this shows how Annie is controlled by the dominant men as she follows them silence falls as Sam is left alone.  The tone of voice makes Annie sound like an object, Annie wears a brown coat in the scene the plane colour symbolises natural beauty and the neutral party.

Although Annie was instructed to go with the other officers she still helps and appears in the suspects work office surprising Sam, Sam explains his findings to her showing the trust he has for her, Annie is still wearing her brown coat which was the main colour and fashion at the time also adding to the time period.

      Sam tells Gene Hunt (Sam’s boss) his hypothesis in front of all his colleges this is done in a long shot making everyone in the room focus on Sam, also to show Sam is wise as he is from the future this is something Sam and the audience know making everyone else look from a different planet this relates to the title ‘Life on Mars’ the name of the show also has the recurring theme of loneliness Sam hearing his heart monitor and doctors talking about his condition.

When Gene Hunt agrees to Sam’s theory the receptionist enters telling them the location, she asks “are you psychic?” This relates to the fact Sam is from the future and they don’t know it is key information that only the audience and Sam know. This is the second women working in the police department although she follows the stereotype that women are receptionists or should work at home or in a basic office. Annie goes against this.

      48:18 is the climax we have seen the crime been solved and now the suspect now being apprehended. The criminal holds a loaded gun to one of the officers head, the camera is angled in a behind the shoulder shot this is done to show the audience what the criminal is thinking and seeing the position of the police officers, Gene Hunt in front, Sam on the right holding a gun pointing at the criminal and the voice of reason from Annie on the left but slightly behind the two main officers this represents the men are more tough and protect the damsel (Annie) also the voice of reason is always at the back of a person’s head. The positioning of Sam and Annie represent good and bad Sam (bad) holding the gun like criminal is the violent side of the brain and Annie (good) the voice of reason she is not armed and Gene in the middle represents the criminal deciding between the two. No sound the background music stops so we can hear Annie and Sam give a speech on why the criminal should put the gun down, Annie still wearing her brown coat showing she is neutral. The criminal surrenders and relinquishes the gun into Sam’s hand.

      The police officers relax in the pub another iconic symbol of the show, the camera pans around the room and with a tableaux shot the whole police team claps praising the work from Sam, Sam is welcomed back into the group. In the pub there is only the sound of drinks and everyone talking, this creates a real image of police life and the end to a hard day. Through the laughter and jokes one of the officers makes a joke towards San and Annie, the receptionist hits him to correct his behaviour this shows the women are there to remind and be the ones with manners.

We see how Annie keeps everyone together with the convocation with Sam he said he will buy her a chocolate bar to thank her for helping him and being there for him, chocolate is usually used to represent love and passion this could hint the love Sam has for Annie.