Rated-R Movies and the Law

[MaDouleur]

From the many postings I've read, people clearly have DVD collections aboard. I know I will...

Speaking for myself, I have Rated-R movies in my collection and take no offense at nudity, violence, etc. on film. I pride myself in knowing the difference between entertainment and reality... And, of course, Rates-R movies are perfectly legal here in the U.S.

The question is, are there any ports where one could be in a lot of trouble were there boat to be searched by the authorities and certain Rated-R titles were found? I read all the time about films being banned in certain countries or having special edits made.

I'm planning on spending at least my first year in American territories so I don't anticipate any issues but I'm very curious about this subject...

Thanks - Jake

[maxingout]

The only time officials have ever been interested in our movies on board was when they asked if we had any videos that we would give them as a gift. Even in Yemen, Oman, Eritrea, Sudan, and Egypt, nobody showed interest in what was on board.

Nobody even came on board Exit Only when we were in Oman, Yemen, Eritrea, or Sudan. Egypt was the only place officials came on board to search, and what they were looking for was weapons. The year we came up the Red Sea, there had been a pirate attack with weapons fired, and so they wanted to check us for weapons. They thought that they had discovered a bazooka when they found a long bazooka shaped tube in my bunk. It was my digeridoo, and after a few minutes of inspection, they decided it was not a weapon of mass destruction.

I wouldn't worry about videos. Nobody is interested unless you are selling them.

[GordMay]

What you (and your authority having jurisdiction) consider “R-Rated”, may be considered "Pornography” in some other countries. Many/most countries ban pornography (including simple possession), as THEY define it, and could impose severe punishments for it’s possession.

As others have opined, possession of a of movie tape, with a few nude scenes, is not likely to get you imprisoned, most times, most places.

Notwithstanding, I’d err on the side of caution, and propriety/probity.

BTW: From the U.S. Sate Department “... using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime, prosecutable in the United States. Please see our information on Criminal Penalties ..."
Country Specific Information Criminal Penalties

A previous discussion, on another topic, included numerous links to U.S. State Department Country Reports, wherein more detailed information may be available.
Goto: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ntry-1641.html

[mudnut]

Hey Jake,enjoy them for the 12mth's then leave them ashore nice and safe like.Some countries are totally against it and the penalties are not nice.Leave em home,take em with me.Thats your call.I would'nt take the chance of some official in some OS country having a bad week useing me as an example.Everybodies entry scenario into a different port will be different to a degree.Carn't see the reason in taking the chance anyway.Mudnut.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Nunsploitation? Is it art or porn?

I would hesitate about having anything R (or X) rated aboard (no matter how "tame" to you, me or the Vicar!) when crossing borders.......as these things are always a question of viewpoint - and especially when visiting any countries with certain religous "values"........from past experiances of crossing borders (albeit sans Boat) what goes on within a country is not neccesarily a guide to the attitude at the borders - where the rules and laws that the locals do not follow (have never heard of?!) can actually get enforced - for varying reasons.......so IME it is always best to cross borders clean (and being conservative) - no matter what yer plans are for the other side.

BTW I thought the link about the Kiddie porn was a bit unnecessary.....

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

... I would hesitate about having anything R (or X) rated aboard (no matter how "tame" to you, me or the Vicar!) when crossing borders...
... so IME it is always best to cross borders clean (and being conservative) - no matter what yer plans are for the other side.
BTW I thought the link about the Kiddie porn was a bit unnecessary.....

I agree that the child pornography information should be unnecessary; but then, I’d have thought that the whole issue of importing “questionable” items should have been moot.
Why would anyone contemplate doing things (especially those of very limited value) that are questionable, in their own mind ?

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by maxingout

Nobody even came on board Exit Only when we were in Oman, Yemen, Eritrea, or Sudan. .

David may well be right about his trip, but each year things get 'weirder' over in some countries.
Remember a few months ago the English school teacher in deep trouble - ie looking at a whipping - because a teddy bear was named Mohammad? Yes she got off... after a nice stint in jail.

Gillian Gibbons jailed for allowing teddy to be named Mohammed | NEWS.com.au

Teddy bears are one thing, videos with naughty bits could get you and your crew in a dirty prison for a long time. Is that where you want your wife for a few months?

Mark

[waterworldly]

I was curious, if you have copies of movies, does that mean that the authorities will acutually want to look at all of your movies? Without the jackets, it would seem hard to tell the "R"s from the "G"s.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by waterworldly

I was curious, if you have copies of movies, does that mean that the authorities will acutually want to look at all of your movies? Without the jackets, it would seem hard to tell the "R"s from the "G"s.

Do Police check all your asprin?

Of course not. Police (etc) use their own methods, whatever they may be. But a squeaky clean boat with squeaky clean people on board gives off a squeaky clean aroma. Those that are knowingly looking at a death penalty or long time in prison tend to have a sweaty brow

[cat man do]

All my media is going on external harddrives

Have quite a few hundred movies allready done.

No CD's or DVD's at all

Dave

[S/V Elusive]

Interesting - I've tossed all the plastic cases and sleeves and put all my DVDs into those multi-sleeved cases - fit 20 to a case type of thing. Takes up about 15% of all those DVDs when they were in their original packaging. But good idea on an external hard drive or USB drive.

[MaDouleur]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Teddy bears are one thing, videos with naughty bits could get you and your crew in a dirty prison for a long time. Is that where you want your wife for a few months?

Mark

Actually, it's EX-wife so maybe I wouldn't mind...

[MaDouleur]

Originally Posted by S/V Elusive

Interesting - I've tossed all the plastic cases and sleeves and put all my DVDs into those multi-sleeved cases - fit 20 to a case type of thing. Takes up about 15% of all those DVDs when they were in their original packaging. But good idea on an external hard drive or USB drive.

I was planning on posting the very same thing... In order to save space, I'm planning on getting a case that will hold a couple of hundred CDs and DVDs - everything that I have on any sort of optical disc. I'll be tossing all of the commercial packaging. I guess this lessens the value of the items but I'm keeping them and taking them with because of the content, not the packaging, right?

[MaDouleur]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Why would anyone contemplate doing things (especially those of very limited value) that are questionable, in their own mind ?

The titles I'm thinking of aren't questionable in my mind. It's just that I understand how the uptight, judgemental, "I think I know what's right for everyone else" mind works... (And I'n NOT saying that's you, Gord! )

Consider Angelina Jolie. She's an Academy Award winning actress - Best Supporting Actress in Girl, Interrupted. She also happens to have topless scenes in a lot of her movies and is well-known for her intense eh-hem 'love scenes'.

So, not because they are questionable to me, but because they might be to others, should I make sure I have no Angelina Jolie movies aboard if I go to certain areas of the world?

[MaDouleur]

Originally Posted by cat man do

All my media is going on external harddrives

Have quite a few hundred movies allready done.

No CD's or DVD's at all

Dave

I could see you possibly ending up with a blank drive after a near-miss in an electrical storm. I guess there's the same risk for the main drive of a laptop but it's probably better-grounded than an external drive.

BTW - What program did you find works best to rip your movies?