The Hot Box

The Hot Box
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;
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$181,000

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]

References

^ Chris Nashawaty, Crab Monsters, Teenage Cavemen and Candy Stripe Nurses - Roger Corman: King of the B Movie, Abrams, 2013 p 106
^ Christopher T Koetting, Mind Warp!: The Fantastic True Story of Roger Corman's New World Pictures, Hemlock Books. 2009 p 38
^ 'Corman on Demme', Storefront Demme accessed 17 June 2012