Visible crew/equipment: During The Music of the Night, you can see a camera shadow pass over the Phantom's and Christine's face. It's around the part where he says, 'Let your fantasies unwind'. (00:38:00)
Visible crew/equipment: As Raoul's car is leaving the Opera House, a crewmember is reflected in its windshield. (00:48:05)
Visible crew/equipment: During the second kiss, the shadow of a camera is seen on Christine and the Phantom. It's especially obvious behind his neck. (02:06:05)
Visible crew/equipment: When Christine and Raoul are riding the horse out of the graveyard, it is obvious that Emmy Rossum has been replaced by a stunt double.
Visible crew/equipment: During the graveyard swordfight, the Phantom's stuntman sometimes visibly replaces Gerard Butler. He has thin and very arched eyebrows and the mask doesn't fit properly around the nose. He is the same stuntman used when Raoul jumps down the hole after the Masquerade. (01:40:45)
Visible crew/equipment: Right after Christine is shown on stage singing "Think of Me", the camera pans out to show the audience members. When it gets to the back of the room on the floor, you can see at least 5 dummies used as seat fillers. They look to be only torsos and heads sleeveless t-shirts on.
Visible crew/equipment: Just before Raoul jumps down the hole after the Masquerade, Patrick Wilson is obviously replaced by a stuntman who's not even trying to hide his face. He is the same stuntman used for the Phantom in the graveyard swordfight. (01:25:35)
Visible crew/equipment: When Raoul jumps down the hole into the mirror room, you see he is alone. Between when he jumps down, and the appearance of the phantom's reflection, if you slow down the movie you see a man in a gray shirt in the mirrors behind Raoul. He appears in at least three mirrors. Slow-mo is not essential but does help.
Answer: During "Point of No Return, " the Phantom shares a stage with the very vulnerable Christine. He is still masked, though it is a mask other than his trademark white face covering. The Phantom is well known as a murderer and an escape artist. This is the the equivalent of a hostage situation. To rush the stage might risk lives, and everyone in the know is proceeding with caution. During the song, we do get glimpses of police moving about, and Raoul and others looking concerned, subtly signaling one another and considering their next move. The stage crew seems confused. The dancers go on with the show. And law enforcement officers await the right moment to advance. It also gives us the opportunity to enjoy a dramatic musical number that rushing the stage would interrupt.
Michael Albert