Questions to be answered about Pressure (Horace Ove, 1976)

1. What event occurred in the 1970s and 1980s that represent the presence of racial tensions?

Pressure was released "in the wake of Black exploitation cinema's peak, well after the political impact of the genre's early films had been softened by formulaic storylines, in an attempt to appeal, as the studios saw it, to a broader mainstream audience". Black exploitation films, like Pressure, were "seeking to carve a niche for themselves within the system, not trying to overthrow or transform it". 

BBC website on Race in the 1980s: The riots of 1981 were largely sparked by racial issues. In Brixton, the spiritual home of Britain's afro-Caribbean community, youths rioted amid resentment that the police were targeting more and more young black men in the belief that it would stop street crime. Similar riots followed in Liverpool and the Midlands. The subsequent Scarman Report found that "racial disadvantage is a fact of current British life".

2. Why do you think Pressure was made?

I think it was made because it was able to show how unjust people are to the black population. It shows how prejudiced and racist they can be and as it is told from a Black person's perspective it seems like he is speaking for the rest of the Black population and is  rising up to get their story heard, so that they can finally feel a part of Britain and not just classed as "foreigners" and "outcasts".

3. What examples of racism are represented in Pressure?

A lot of racism and prejudice is shown through the police. They are shown to stop mainly only black people, seem to always be suspicious of them and never seem to believe them only thinking that they are liars. Also, the fact that Tony has been rejected by so many employers after he has had an interview just because he's black because he is qualified for the jobs he applies to. Racism is shown again when Tony's white friend invites him into her flat but the landlady wants him to leave straight away because he is black she thinks he is 'trouble'.

4. How does the theme of collective identity come across in Pressure?

The Black people in the film all come together to help each other out, for example, they steal together and share food as they are just all trying to survive. They are becoming more and more united in the film, especially during the 'Black Power' meeting as they all share the same views and want to fight for their place in England as it is theirs as well now. Tony joins the 'Black Power' group but it took him a while to get to that position as he felt before he didn't fit in with them as he was born here in England and had an English education so he felt it already was his home and he didn't see himself as an outcast.

5. How do you think Pressure differs from mainstream representations of Black Britons?

I think the film shows how the Black population were really feeling at that time, for example, isolation, loneliness and foreigners. The film had a Black director which would have highly influenced the way it represented Black people. I think that the film differs from mainstream representations of Black Britons by showing that they didn't want to just "fit in" and be like the English people living there, they had their own culture and they want to celebrate that and keep to their own traditions.