– An Australian movie fan who imported three model space guns based on the film “Alien” was Monday locked in battle with police and customs officers, who claim they are prohibited weapons.
In the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal member Peta Stilgoe expressed understanding about collector Mark Hamish Beckett’s frustration with bureaucracy — but found she did not have the authority to rule on his case.Stilgoe said Beckett considered the guns to be artifacts, pieces of movie memorabilia, or perhaps novelty items — but not weapons in any real sense of the word.
The police, without the benefit of an inspection, had classified them as weapons.
The story does not say where Mark was taking the stuff. I assume a convention of some kind…and I know this isn’t *exactly* movie news, but it’s one of those days- and we can all learn from this. When travelling, don’t take your M41 pulse rifles with you.
Note: it should also be said that the weapons seen in the films are actual retrofitted modifications of existing guns, such as the smart guns some of the Aliens’ marines carried (German MG-42 machine guns) so it’s possible to see where the confusion can start.
