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Karayuki-San, the Making of a Prostitute

1973·Movie
1h 15min
77
GreatGoodWatch score

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Karayuki-San, the Making of a Prostitute fingerprint

Strong craft, no humor.

Energy

Calm and low-key

Builds slowly, so the intensity comes in waves.

  • Tension6
  • Fast Pace4
  • Violence4

Heart

Profoundly sad and moving

  • Melancholy9
  • Pathos8
  • Catharsis7

Humor

Serious throughout

  • Wit & Wordplay2
  • Satire & Parody2
  • Dark Humor2

World

Society, history, and a real life story

  • World Immersion7
  • Dialogue Centrality7
  • Rewatchability6

Craft

Standout characters

  • Character Depth8
  • Intrigue8
  • Direction7

Style

Functional look and sound

  • Cinematography7
  • Editing7
  • Music Composition6

Who it's for

AdultsFriends NightSolo WatchThought-Provoking

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Based on the GoodWatch fingerprint: our scores for 70+ attributes of every movie. Select a row to see all of them.

About

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."
Japanese ProstitutionHistorical DocumentarySocial InjusticePost-War JapanFeminist PerspectiveExploitationMalaysian HistoryImamura FilmMelancholyPolitical

Crew

Sequels and Prequels

No sequels or prequels available

Media

Questions about Karayuki-San, the Making of a Prostitute

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Karayuki-San, the Making of a Prostitute legally?

Karayuki-San, the Making of a Prostitute is included with a subscription to OVID in the United States. All links in Where to Watch go to these licensed services.

Is Karayuki-San, the Making of a Prostitute worth watching?

77
GreatGoodWatch score

Mostly. It's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 77/100 (IMDb 7.2). The GoodWatch score combines critic and audience ratings.

What is Karayuki-San, the Making of a Prostitute rated?

Sexual content

Content advisories: sexual content.

How long is Karayuki-San, the Making of a Prostitute?

1 h 15 min

Karayuki-San, the Making of a Prostitute runs 1 h 15 min.

Is Karayuki-San, the Making of a Prostitute based on a true story?

Yes. It's based on real events or a real person's life.

What language is Karayuki-San, the Making of a Prostitute in?

JapaneseMalay

It was made in Japanese, with some Malay. Produced in Japan.