Problems with R18

[DavidS]

Thank you pudgym. In esscence I agree with you. I have little doubt that there are directors in the U.S. (land of the free?) who would give their right arm to be able to make quality adult films. You are almost certainly correct that ambiguities in American law does not allow them to so. One can hardly expect them to make an huge investment in a film if there is doubt that it will be released due to draconian laws. The point is however, that the British are European. If the Americans are unable to make films of quality for whatever reason but such films are available from elsewhere, we should be able to see them.

The point you make about if you have never seen a film it is new to you is exactly the point I was trying to make. You put it better than I did. An example in the mainstrean cinema is the 1931 film 'M' directed by Fritz Lang. I believe that this film is still the finest example the film industry has ever made of portraying the unpleasantness and sorididness of paedophilia. The casting of the brilliant Peter Lorre as the pathetic child molester was a masterpiece of perfect casting. That film is more relavant today than when it was released. Because a film is not new does not mean it cannot be enjoyed by new generation. The UK market for porn is unsophisticated compared with what Americans call 'old Europe'. This is because when quality adult films were being made in France, Germany and to an extent the US. We were not allowed to see them.

[Chris Morris]

Hi ohwonder
have you tried buying tapes from Canberra or Darwin - I think many of them are as strong as those from Europe and USA.
Personally, I prefer classic erotica which the local companies don't stock. I have been collecting from overseas sources (private and commercial) for a while now and have only had 6 titles confiscated out of +- 450 sourced. The tapes were deemed to have included scenes of forced sex which are not allowed along with kiddie and animal themes (fair enough)
I have waged a fairly long and utterly useless battle with the department of film classification and customs over trying to get pre approval of titles I wish to acquire - surprise surprise that neither dept can help and they keep passing the buck to each other. I think they got tired of me as they don't even bother inspecting my incoming parcels anymore.
Let me know if you have had any adverse or successful experiences in that sphere

[ohwonder]

I got tapes from MDB and Liberated from Melbourne. I liked the European Titles. Unless I have the cover in my hands tapes via mailorder hard to gauge the quality, I had a freind who got stuff in from America and tried to get the ok from customs but he had alot of trouble these tapes refered to "Adult Babies and Enemas"...really lame tapes I could not see the objection...but for an offical to ok these tapes was the problem...I myself would not like to classify any tape.
I recently got a Dvd and its basically very poor copy(digital blocky) a hint is if its dvd with blue/perple dye and not factory mastered silver dvd then waste of time......this happned with vhs copies...this can defeat the purpose of dvd.
With customs did you give them an actual title to examine or showed them a catalogue picture?
I think they can only classify whats in your possession not a tape you dont have.

[Chris Morris]

In connection with my dealings with the Australian authorities, these are my experiences.
With customs and the censor board I provided titles, release dates if known, director and performer names where available and IMDB link information. Customs never bothered replying formally - I made a couple of follow up calls - and the film classification board wrote back saying to look up the titles on their website.
As their database only goes back to 1995 this advice was worse than useless. This I told them at which point they suggested I apply for permission to import each film individually as if I was a film distribution company.
I pointed out to them that if they felt that they had the rights and skills to determine what I was capable of watching then they should be able to tell me, in advance, what was deemed acceptable so that I could avoid breaking the law by default.
They didn't appreciate my attitude and I expressed my disgust that they thought they could determine better than I what I could and could not watch. I then got the standard ' just doing my job ' routine at which point I felt I had got a moral victory and left it at that.
Funnily enough, since then (Aug/Sept 03) they have left me alone and not even inspected any of my parcels since then.
I have come to the conclusion that they are only really interested in pursuing the child pornographers and not people who are obviously collectors of mainstream and classic erotica available openly throughout the civilised world.

[ohwonder]

I heard of a case third hand that a person was procescuted for downloading 4 A4 pages of "fantasy porn", his tranny, animal tapes were returned to him no charges at all......the police said they were not interested at all only in manufacture possession and trading of underage material.

[DavidS]

Another problem with R18's is if you live in an area where the local council is reluctant to issue licences to sex shops, you are rather snookered. The other problem is that if only one licence has been issued, it always seems to be to that chain who are always in dispute with the distributors. I have never been able to obtain Ben Dover R18's as the chain who own my only local licenced sex shop is in continual dispute with him! I generally travel to London to get mine and they are about a third of the price there than I can get ones locally.

[Deuce Bigolo]

Correct

I've been buying vids from for a couple of years...never had a problem with any products and no softcore crap just XXX

Currently having a 50% clearance sale....Private titles for $AUS20-00 plus postage

As for why parcels keep getting searched

Try the Eros Association...represents the Major Portion of Australias Sex Industry

cheers
B....OZ

[ohwonder]

axis and eros are half the problem:-)....good luck....neverseen dolly buster nor anydecent stuff...only "couples" tapes

[Deuce Bigolo]

Makes you wonder how you can order XXX Vids/Dvds delivered direct to your door but can't get the same stuff from your local Video store?

The law is an ass...amen

I do agree most of the stuff on offer is utter shite
Cheap prices don't make the videos any more stimulating...LOL

All I'll say for Eros is without them idiots like Brian Harradine & the Reverend Fred Nile would have all erotica banned from Australia
I bet at this very minute their trying to make the 2 Territories States
so they can

cheers
B....OZ

[ohwonder]

I have found two types of censor ship 1 fred niles type the other is the pushing of the industry by Axis and Robbie Swan and their cult of "couples" tapes...these people are major importers and distributors...hence we will only get their "couples" tapes...and I've seen euroupen tapes with pixelisation...