Movie: Karayuki-San, the Making of a Prostitute

Top 2 Billed Cast

Kikuyo Zendo
Kikuyo Zendo

Herself

Shōhei Imamura
今村昌平

Himself

  • HomePage

  • Overview

    Karayuki-san, the Making of a Prostitute is a 1975 Japanese film by director Shohei Imamura. It is a documentary on one of the Japanese "karayuki-san," who were women that were taken from their homes in Japan and used as prostitutes in the post-war period. Many of these women were told that they were doing this to support their families because of the extreme poverty that the war left much of Japan to live in. Imamura focuses on a particular such woman who was sent to Malaysia and never returned to Japan. Joan Mellen, in The Waves at Genji's Door, called this film, "Perhaps the most brilliant and feeling of Imamura's fine documentaries."

  • Release Date

    1973-01-01

  • Average

    7.5

  • Rating:

    3.8 starts
  • Tagline

  • Genres

  • Languages:

    Bahasa melayu日本語
  • Keywords

Recommendations Movies

Monkey Business
67%

Monkey Business(en)

1952-09-03

Research chemist Barnaby Fulton works on a fountain of youth pill for a chemical company. One of the labs chimps gets loose in the laboratory and mixes chemicals, but then pours the mix into the water cooler. When trying one of his own samples, washed down with water from the cooler, Fulton begins to act just like a twenty-year-old and believes his potion is working. Soon his wife and boss are also behaving like children.

Back to School
63%

Back to School(en)

1986-06-13

Self-made millionaire Thornton Melon decides to get a better education and enrolls at his son Jason's college. While Jason tries to fit in with his fellow students, Thornton struggles to gain his son's respect, giving way to hilarious antics.

Twitches Too
67%

Twitches Too(en)

2007-10-12

Reunited witch twins Camryn and Alex adjust to their new life as supernatural beings while at the same time trying to maintain a normal existence in this sequel to the magical Disney Channel original movie Twitches. But they soon find themselves going head to head with the forces of darkness that threaten to destroy their world. Luckily, their birth mother, the powerful Miranda, is on hand to help out.

Help!
68%

Help!(en)

1965-07-29

An obscure Eastern cult that practices human sacrifice pursues Ringo after he unknowingly puts on a ceremonial ring (that, of course, won't come off). On top of that, a pair of mad scientists, members of Scotland Yard, and a beautiful but dead-eyed assassin all have their own plans for the Fab Four.

The Four Musketeers
64%

The Four Musketeers(en)

1974-10-31

The Four Musketeers defend the queen and her dressmaker from Cardinal Richelieu and Milady de Winter.

Starbuck
69%

Starbuck(fr)

2011-07-27

David Wozniak is a perpetual adolescent who discovers that, as a sperm donor, he has fathered 533 children. He is advised that more than 100 of his offspring are trying to force the fertility clinic to reveal the true identity of "Starbuck," the pseudonym he used when donating his sperm. To make matters worse, his girlfriend Valérie is pregnant with his child, but doesn't feel that he is mature enough to be a father.

The Merchant of Venice
68%

The Merchant of Venice(en)

2004-12-03

Venice, 1596. Bassanio begs his friend Antonio, a prosperous merchant, to lend him a large sum of money so that he can woo Portia, a very wealthy heiress; but Antonio has invested his fortune abroad, so they turn to Shylock, a Jewish moneylender, and ask him for a loan.

Buddies
82%

Buddies(en)

1985-09-12

David, a naive graduate student, has volunteered to work as a 'buddy' for people dying of AIDS. Assigned to the intensely political Robert, a lifelong activist whose friends and family have abandoned him following his diagnosis, the two men, each with notably different world views, soon discover common bonds, as David's inner activist awakens and Robert's need for emotional release is fulfilled.

Pi
71%

Pi(en)

1998-07-10

A mathematical genius discovers a link between numbers and reality, and thus believes he can predict the future.

Cries and Whispers
79%

Cries and Whispers(sv)

1972-12-21

As Agnes slowly dies of cancer, her sisters are so immersed in their own psychic pains that they are unable to offer her the support she needs.

Take the Money and Run
71%

Take the Money and Run(en)

1969-08-18

Virgil Starkwell is intent on becoming a notorious bank robber. Unfortunately for Virgil and his not-so-budding career, he is completely incompetent.

Last Tango in Paris
69%

Last Tango in Paris(it)

1972-12-15

A recently widowed American begins an anonymous sexual relationship with a young Parisian woman.

The Men Who Stare at Goats
60%

The Men Who Stare at Goats(en)

2009-10-17

A reporter in Iraq might just have the story of a lifetime when he meets Lyn Cassady, a guy who claims to be a former member of the U.S. Army's New Earth Army, a unit that employs paranormal powers in their missions.

One Direction: Up All Night - The Live Tour
80%

One Direction: Up All Night - The Live Tour(en)

2012-05-16

Up All Night: The Live Tour is a DVD release from the British-Irish boy band One Direction, which was released on 28 May 2012. The video concert DVD was recorded as part of One Direction's Up All Night Tour at the International Centre in Bournemouth, includes songs from their multi-platinum debut album Up All Night and five covers, including "I Gotta Feeling", "Stereo Hearts", "Valerie", "Torn" and "Use Somebody".

Love at First Fight
65%

Love at First Fight(fr)

2014-08-20

Arnaud, facing an uncertain future and a dearth of choices in a small French coastal town, meets and falls for the apocalyptic-minded Madeleine, who joins an army boot camp to learn military and survival skills to prepare for the upcoming environmental collapse. Intrigued and excited by Madeleine’s wild ideas, Arnaud signs up for the boot camp himself. They soon realize that the boot camp is harder than they’d imagined, but the experience nonetheless cements them together as the couple continues to explore their young love.

Sunshine Cleaning
66%

Sunshine Cleaning(en)

2008-01-18

A single mother and her slacker sister find an unexpected way to turn their lives around in this off-beat dramatic comedy. In order to raise the tuition to send her young son to private school the mom starts an unusual business – a biohazard removal/crime scene clean-up service.

Alice in Wonderland
62%

Alice in Wonderland(en)

1999-02-28

Alice follows a white rabbit down a rabbit-hole into a whimsical Wonderland, where she meets characters like the delightful Cheshire Cat, the clumsy White Knight, a rude caterpillar, and the hot-tempered Queen of Hearts and can grow ten feet tall or shrink to three inches. But will she ever be able to return home?

The Comics
58%

The Comics(it)

1990-10-28

Two silent movie actors escape from their film. Forced to find a way to survive in the real world, they will only cause troubles to the people they will meet along the way.

Happiness at Last
55%

Happiness at Last(it)

2011-12-16

A middle-aged man finds out his late mother was sponsoring a Brazilian girl who has now become a beautiful model and tries his best not to fall for her.

Dark Passage
73%

Dark Passage(en)

1947-09-05

A man convicted of murdering his wife escapes from prison and works with a woman to try and prove his innocence.

Similar Movies

Megacities
65%

Megacities(en)

1998-08-12

Megacities is a documentary about the slums of five different metropolitan cities.

Nothing with Me When I Die, Those Who Owe Me I'll Collect in Hell
65%

Nothing with Me When I Die, Those Who Owe Me I'll Collect in Hell(pt)

1981-01-01

An exercise in gentle voyeurism revealing glimpses of the secret side of Salvador, the capital city of the Brazilian state of Bahia, filming a derelict prostitution zone.

Atlantic City Hookers: It Ain't E-Z Being A Ho'
20%

Atlantic City Hookers: It Ain't E-Z Being A Ho'(en)

2004-06-09

Hidden cameras capture prostitutes working the streets of the neon-soaked gambling mecca of Atlantic City.

Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids
68%

Born Into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids(en)

2004-12-08

Documentary depicting the lives of child prostitutes in the red light district of Songachi, Calcutta. Director Zana Briski went to photograph the prostitutes when she met and became friends with their children. Briski began giving photography lessons to the children and became aware that their photography might be a way for them to lead better lives.

The Prostitutes of Lyon Speak
77%

The Prostitutes of Lyon Speak(fr)

1975-01-01

Documentary about the Lyon sex workers who occupied the church of St. Nizier on June 3, 1975.

Sunflowers of Nicaragua
100%

Sunflowers of Nicaragua(es)

2017-05-18

Sixteen female sex workers have been named judicial aides by Nicaragua’s Supreme Court to facilitate the resolution of conflicts that come up in their work. It is the first time in the world that sex workers have had access to this function. The film accompanies some of these women in their mediation work and in the actions they promote through their association, Girasoles (Sunflowers) of Nicaragua, to gain recognition and regulations for autonomous sex work.

Mustang: The House That Joe Built
20%

Mustang: The House That Joe Built(en)

1977-07-27

A documentary about the girls of the Mustang Ranch, a legal brothel in Nevada.

The Salt Mines
60%

The Salt Mines(en)

1990-10-01

Explores the lives of Sara, Gigi and Giovanna, three Latino transvestites who for years have lived on the streets of Manhattan supporting their drug addictions through prostitution. They made their temporary home inside broken garbage trucks that the Sanitation Department keeps next to the salt deposits used in the winter to melt the snow. The three friends share the place known as "The Salt Mines".

The Fallacy
70%

The Fallacy(fr)

2010-11-01

The current trend to render prostitution a profession "as any other" is belied by women who were themselves prostitutes. With clarity and courage, the women in this film reveal the hidden face of that so-called "sex work". They are 22, 34 or 48 years old; they live in Montreal, Quebec and Ottawa - They have recently given up prostitution, or are trying to escape it. These women are leading the bitter fight to turn their lives around and it is a long and lonely struggle fraught with difficulties. Shot in a Cinéma Vérité style, The Fallacy (L'imposture) takes us to the heart of their realities.

The Cuba Prostitution Documentary
0%

The Cuba Prostitution Documentary(en)

2011-01-23

Meet Andrew Lindy: a man with a camera and sex on his mind. Andrew is a New Yorker who travels the world to capture beauty for various freelance jobs. Andrew chases beauty but he longs for a connection. On an assignment for ELLE magazine, Andrew travels to Cuba and brings his camera and appetite for women with him. This is a look at the lack of sexual taboo in Cuba, as well as the financial difficulties that lead to prostitution in some Cubans, for the purpose of survival.

Life of Crime 2
70%

Life of Crime 2(en)

1998-12-15

This follow-up to the 1989 documentary ONE YEAR IN A LIFE OF CRIME revisits three of the original subjects in New Jersey during a five-year period in the 1990s. We share in their triumphs and setbacks as they navigate lives of poverty, drug abuse, AIDS, and petty crime.

Dragan Wende - West Berlin
36%

Dragan Wende - West Berlin(de)

2014-11-06

Dragan Wende has lived in Berlin since the '70s and has seen the city change through the years. His nephew comes to live with him as Dragan remembers the better days he lived as a Yugoslavian immigrant in a divided city.

Chained Girls
40%

Chained Girls(en)

1965-03-25

This exploitation classic purports to expose the secrets of the 1960s lesbian underworld.

Everything's Better than a Hooker
73%

Everything's Better than a Hooker(fr)

2018-02-06

The tragedy of Eva-Marree, deprived of her children for prostitution then killed by their father. In a convincing indictment, director Ovidie denounces the abuse of power by a supposedly protective Swedish state.

TMZ Presents: The Downfall of Diddy
53%

TMZ Presents: The Downfall of Diddy(en)

2024-04-28

A series of lawsuits and allegations have legendary rap mogul P. Diddy on the ropes. TMZ has the troubling inside story from people who were there.

Chicken Ranch
49%

Chicken Ranch(en)

1983-05-01

Documentary on the "Chicken Ranch," a legal Nevada brothel.

Body Without Soul
65%

Body Without Soul(cs)

1996-11-09

A stark documentary about young male prostitutes in Prague, aged 15 to 18, who work the streets, train stations, and clubs. Through candid interviews and behind-the-scenes footage of gay porn shoots, the film explores their lives, struggles, and dreams, touching on themes of exploitation, identity, AIDS, and survival.

Faire le Bois
60%

Faire le Bois(fr)

2022-09-30

From the open air theater in the Bois de Boulogne the sex workers Heden, Claudia and Samantha, tell about the woods which is their work place.

Europe in the Raw
38%

Europe in the Raw(en)

1963-03-28

Russ Meyer's documentary about the underground vice world of Europe.