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.

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

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).