The Hot Box
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Joe Viola
Written by	Joe Viola Jonathan Demme
Produced by	Jonathan Demme Cirio H. Santiago
Starring	Carmen Argenziano
Music by	Restie Umali
Distributed by	New World Pictures
Release date	May 1972 (1972-05)
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$181,000[1]

The Hot Box is a 1972 women in prison film from Joe Viola and Jonathan Demme, who had previously made Angels Hard as They Come (1971) for New World Pictures. It was shot in the Philippines and was originally known as The Prescription Revolution.^[2]

Plot

Four American nurses working in the Republic of San Rosario are kidnapped by a band of guerillas.

Cast

• Carmen Argenziano as Flavio
• Andrea Cagan as Bunny Kincaid
• Margaret Markov as Lynn Forrest
• Rickey Richardson as Ellie St. George
• Laurie Rose as Sue Pennwright
• Zaldy Zschornack as Ronaldo Montoya
• Jose Romulo as Crao
• Rocco Montalban as Carragiero
• Charles Dierkop as The journalist Garcia, also known as Major Dubay
• Gina Laforteza as Florida
• Ruben Ramos as Mimmo
• Ruben Rustia

Production

The film came about because Roger Corman had a production deal in the Philippines with a young producer there, Cirio Santiago. Corman wanted to give Santiago a story outline and Viola did up a treatment in an afternoon, which became the film. Jonathan Demme shot some second unit footage, which impressed Roger Corman enough to support Demme's debut as director, Caged Heat (1974).^[3]