JOEL SCHUMACHER - SCHUMACHER. SNIPER HELPED PHONE BOOTH PUBLICITY

The publicity surrounding the Washington DC sniper helped promote the film PHONE BOOTH, according to director JOEL SCHUMACHER.

The film which follows a man hunted by a sniper was scheduled to be released in late 2001 before the terrorist attacks on 11 September (01) meant it was held back from cinemas.

Then it had to be rescheduled once more after a real-life sniper began a series of killings that terrorised Washington DC in October last year (02).

However, Schumacher believes that the film - which shot to the top of the American box office when released earlier this month (APR03) -became a story in itself during the furore surrounding the sniper.

He says, "During the whole episode which got more horrific the longer it went on, the American media kept using clips of Phone Booth to illustrate their stories.

"And then it became a story in itself, because of course TV news is always looking for new angles, this little film about a sniper that now can't come out.

"So, grotesque as it sounds, we ended up with this huge wedge of publicity and awareness of the movie. And I can tell you, hand on heart, that we would never have exploited it in this way."