View Full Version : Is it ilegal to buy region 1 films
crazzy kopite
26-01-2003, 9:51 PM
Someone on another mesageboard says it is ilegal to buy films from another region than your own country.
The way i understood about it is that it is legal to buy region 1 films but it is ilegal for a shop in the uk to sell them.
However this is what he said
Its illegal to sell in any other region, and guess what, its illegal to watch as well.
To the letter of the law anyway.
Idea being that since most region 1 films get released before the cinema box office has finished its profits run in region 2, you are harming the profits of the cinemas..
Whole point why reigon encodings were introduced, why else do you think they exist?
mcmullanbrush
26-01-2003, 9:58 PM
It is perfectly legal to import for personal use, as long as you pay any relevant taxes/duties.
cybersoga
26-01-2003, 10:01 PM
It's illegal to sell them in this country because they have not been classified by the BBFC, but it's not illegal to import them yourself.
mcmullanbrush
26-01-2003, 10:04 PM
So technically, it is illegal to sell region 1 DVDs on this forum:eek:
crazzy kopite
26-01-2003, 10:04 PM
Thank you for the that :) i thought it was legal
Originally posted by mcmullanbrush
So technically, it is illegal to sell region 1 DVDs on this forum:eek:
u are not a shop though. And if u trade than it should be fine, no??
Squirrel God
26-01-2003, 11:04 PM
Film studios are very clear that DVDs are not to be exported outside of their certified region. It's on the back of most R1 DVDs.
I think we're okay, it's the stores that let us import them that have to be careful.
Nick Drew
26-01-2003, 11:53 PM
I know of two shops, there may be more, in central London who openly sell region 1 DVD's off the shelf and have done for a good few years. I am amazed that they are still doing so.
One of the shops which is near to Leicester square sells mainly region 1 and some region 4 DVD's at sky high prices. I really cannot understand anyone actually paying for them. Most single disc new release titles cost about £29.99 which is obviously nearly double what you can get them for from online retailers. It seems crazy.
I wonder if these shops know that what they are doing is illegal?
Kramer
27-01-2003, 12:28 AM
Originally posted by mcmullanbrush
It is perfectly legal to import for personal use, as long as you pay any relevant taxes/duties.
Are you sure about that???
Only a recent "personal import" from Columbia didn't make it to me - no customs demand or anything.
Bet the buggers kept it for themselves :grin:
With customs applying duties/VAT etc on imported DVDs, they obviously know they're not Reg 2s, so I can't see there being any "legal" issues with importing.
What about adult movies for personal use???
Stuart Wright
27-01-2003, 12:05 PM
This kind of discussion has been covered before and is largely pointless.
People do import DVDs from any and all regions and then sell them on second hand in private deals.
It's certainly not illegal to import yourself.
I don't care whether it's illegal or not to privately sell them. If it IS illegal, the law is an ass. Either way people do it and I have never ever heard of anyone getting in trouble over it.
Closing this thread.
It may be illegal to talk about it :(
damien
28-01-2003, 12:31 AM
in nottingham there is a multi million pound establishment which is rife with the sale of region 1 and other region dvds. the aformentioned place is the WARNER cinema store they blatently sell dvds for 30-40- quid for a film which should cost 20 ish. How do they get away with this ,they put little bbfc stickers on the dvd cases (which comes off when you peel the selaphane off)