Harry and His Geisha Girls (1978)
A wildly unconventional Japanese comedy from 1978, blending cross-cultural absurdity with surgical intrigue and starring American actor Harry Reems.
Harry and His Geisha Girls - Movie Information
- Original Title: 生贄の女たち
- Release Year: 1978
- Directed by: Shinya Yamamoto
- Type: Movie
- Runtime: 1h 22m
- Original Language: Japanese
- Spoken Languages: Japanese
- Release Date (Theatrical): June 3, 1978 (Japan)
- Alternative Titles: Ikenie no onna-tachi (JP), Harry and His Geisha Girls (US)
- Production Companies: Toei Central Film, Toei Video Company
- Production Countries: Japan
Harry and His Geisha Girls - Plot
Mr. Harry, who suffers from a "peanut sized" penis complex, comes to Japan to undergo a genital transplant operation, the first of its kind in the world. The operation is a success but Harry soon is involved into a shady plot related to his organ donor.
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Harry and His Geisha Girls - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Shinya Yamamoto
Main Cast
- Harry Reems
- Yûko Asuka
- Naomi Oka
- Yukiko Tachibana
- Asuka Miyazaki
- Rie Isshiki
- Reiko Onodera
- Yasuko Matsui
- Masakazu Kuwayama
- Rebun Hori
Writers
- Yōzō Tanaka
- Susumu Saji
- Shinya Yamamoto
Harry and His Geisha Girls - FAQs
What is Harry and His Geisha Girls about?
Harry and His Geisha Girls follows Mr. Harry, an American man with a deep-seated physical insecurity, who travels to Japan to undergo a pioneering surgical procedure. After the operation succeeds, he finds himself pulled into a murky conspiracy connected to his organ donor, blending absurdist comedy with intrigue.
Why does Mr. Harry travel to Japan in the film?
Mr. Harry makes the trip to Japan specifically to undergo what the film presents as the world's first genital transplant operation. His motivation stems from a deeply personal complex about his anatomy. The surgery is a success, but it sets off a chain of unexpected and comedic complications.
Who directed Harry and His Geisha Girls?
The film was directed by Shinya Yamamoto, who also co-wrote the screenplay alongside Yōzō Tanaka and Susumu Saji. It was produced by Toei Central Film and Toei Video Company and released in Japan on June 3, 1978.
Who stars in Harry and His Geisha Girls?
The film stars Harry Reems in the lead role of Mr. Harry, supported by a Japanese cast including Yûko Asuka, Naomi Oka, Yukiko Tachibana, Asuka Miyazaki, Rie Isshiki, Reiko Onodera, Yasuko Matsui, Masakazu Kuwayama, and Rebun Hori.
What makes Harry and His Geisha Girls unusual for its era?
The film is a curious cross-cultural oddity — a Japanese production featuring American adult film star Harry Reems in a leading role, built around a wildly provocative comedic premise. This East-meets-West casting and its outrageous surgical plot made it a distinctive curiosity in late-1970s Japanese cinema.
Is Harry and His Geisha Girls based on a true story?
No, Harry and His Geisha Girls is entirely fictional. Its premise — a man traveling to Japan for a pioneering genital transplant — is played for absurdist comedy rather than realism. The film is a satirical, tongue-in-cheek production with no basis in real events.
What are some films similar to Harry and His Geisha Girls?
If you enjoy offbeat, irreverent comedies with a Japanese flavor, you might also like HK: Forbidden Super Hero, HK: Hentai Kamen 2 — Abnormal Crisis, or Big Stan. For broader Japanese genre fare from the same era, Graveyard of Honor (1975) offers a grittier but equally distinctive Toei experience.
When and where was Harry and His Geisha Girls released?
Harry and His Geisha Girls had its release in Japan on June 3, 1978. The film was also distributed under the title Ikenie no onna-tachi in Japan. It is a Japanese-language production running approximately 82 minutes, produced under the Toei banner.
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