"Thriller : A Cruel Picture" ... Beware?

Someone who managed to get their hands on an early copy of the film "Thriller: A Cruel Picture" went to pick up this and other dvds from his USA P.O. box and drove back towards the border to Canada. At the border he declaired the dvds he had with him in order to pay duty. The officer(s) at the border confiscated "Thriller" (and others, i believe) on the grounds it may be child pornography. The admitedly young-looking Christina Lingberg, who was in her early 20s at the time the film was made, is not the only star of the film though: it also contains hardcore segments filmed with another "performer". We all have heard and read stories about customs and excise. I would love to hear you opinions on this case (see the extended entry info below), especially if you got your hands on an early copy of the film. And i would love to hear your customs stories and opinions on these cases.

see reviews and stills of the dvd at : www.dvdmaniacs.net and www.dvdtimes.co.uk amongst others...

the "goremeister" speaks of his experience : (taken from www.sexgoremutants.co.uk)

Here's a horror story involving good old Canada customs.

I have a postal box in the US where I have my dvds sent to because we have nothing in the stores around my place in Montreal. I went to the US today to pick up some dvds that I had waiting for me. When I came back into Canada, I declared everything thinking I would pay the taxes and that's that. Well after waiting about an hour, the custom's women comes back with a guy who proceeds to tell me I'm under arrest for trying to smuggle child pornography. I freak out and say there's no way I have any of that but they don't listen and slap the cuffs on me and bring me to a holding cell and take my shoe laces and belt so I don't hang myself. While I'm waiting, I'm trying to figure out which of the films could have any nudity with minors and I can't come up with any because I have no interest in that and wouldn't be stupid enough to bring it across the border if I did. Anyways the women comes back a little later to see if I want anything like water or something and I ask which film got me in trouble. Turns out it's THRILLER : A CRUEL PICTURE. She said that the girl looked like a minor. I can't believe this shit I tell her. Synapse is a reputable company and there's no way they'd release anything with child porn. I even told them to call the company because they must have some kind of records. Anyways, after waiting a couple of hours and speaking to a Lawyer who wasn't that much help, the RCMP arrives and I get to talk with them about this. Seems like there's a very fine line between what's obscene and what's illegal. I tell them that this film is not child porn and that the actress is of legal age. I've heard lots about this film and never have I heard that the actress was underage. Have you? I heard she was in her twenties. Anyways, they finally say that after viewing the contents of the film that it doesn't fall into what they classify as offensive material so they don't arrest me but they keep the disc. They also confiscated EROTIC NIGHTS OF THE LIVING DEAD. They said these discs would be sent to Ottawa to be properly inspected and I could still be brought up on charges. Do you believe this shit??

the don may jr (from http://www.synapse-films.com) on www.mhvf.net :

I just got a really disturbing email from a poor Canadian fellow who came to the USA and bought THRILLER. When travelling back through customs to Canada, he got arrested. Yep, you heard me... arrested.

The customs officers took a look at it and thought it was "kiddie-porn" because the actress appeared to be a minor. They arrested this guy and are now inspecting the film to see if charges will be filed against him. She's obviously NOT a minor and I fully expect to hear from customs today. It's so stupid... does customs REALLY think that Synapse would put our full address, website and phone number on the back of the DVD if it WAS "kiddie" porn? Sheesh...

This is totally nuts, I know, but the poor guy has to now go through the trouble of getting a lawyer, etc. to fight this... not to mention they DID arrest him.

Boooy... am I glad we didn't do that Rue Morgue show after all! This could've happened to us while travelling with boxes of these through customs!

Anyway, just a few words of warning for all you Canadian folks.