Phantom Comparison - Cape Twirl and Hair Slick

A comparison of various Phantoms doing the cape twirl and the hair slick (or body caress, depending on production) during 'The Phantom of the Opera' song. One clip has no sound, apologies for that.

[@PrismsofGlass]

0:00 - Intro 0:04 - Dave Willetts 0:22 - Ethan Freeman 0:45 - Scott Davies 1:15 - Earl Carpenter 1:38 - Matthew Cammelle 2:08 - Ramin Karimloo 2:31 - David Shannon 2:54 - Marcus Lovett 3:24 - Geronimo Rauch 3:53 - John Owen-Jones 4:23 - Thomas James O'Leary 4:56 - James Romick 5:29 - Howard McGillin 5:59 - Greg Mills 6:30 - Jeremy Stolle 7:00 - Paul A. Schaefer 7:31 - Laird Mackintosh 8:03 - Hugh Panaro 8:32 - Norm Lewis 9:03 - Michael Crawford 9:29 - Kevin Gray 10:02 - Franc D'Ambrosio 10:31 - Davis Gaines 11:05 - Ted Keegan 11:39 - Peter Lockyer 12:11 - Stephen R. Buntrock 12:44 - Gary Mauer 13:20 - John Cudia 13:54 - Jason Mills 14:24 - Anthony Crivello 14:55 - Richard Todd Adams 15:28 - Tim Martin Gleason 16:00 - Masachika Ichimura 16:36 - Peter Hofmann 17:05 - Jeff Hyslop 17:30 - Mikael Samuelson 18:00 - Ernst-Dieter Suttheimer 18:34 - Nicholas Saverine 18:56 - Jun Sawaki 19:22 - Yuichiro Yamaguchi 19:58 - Colm Wilkinson 20:24 - Henk Poort 20:59 - Alexander Goebel 21:29 - Peter Karrie 21:57 - Cris Groenendaal 22:28 - Eiji Akutagawa 23:05 - Toshihide Mura 23:35 - Ben Cramer 23:54 - Dale Tracy 24:26 - Paul Stanley 24:48 - Jerzy Jeszke 25:15 - David Hunerjaeger 25:40 - Hans Peter Janssens 26:11 - Saulo Vasconcelos 26:41 - Juan Navarro 27:15 - Michael Nicholson 27:43 - Ian Jon Bourg 28:09 - Luis Armando 28:33 - Juan Carlos Barona 28:57 - Roy Weissensteiner 29:27 - Steve Lucas 29:58 - Thomas Schulze 30:19 - Thomas Borchert 30:49 - Uwe Kroger 31:20 - Masayuki Sano 21:50 - Simon Pryce 32:21 - Anthony Warlow 32:48 - Flemming Enevold 33:17 - Peter Jorde 33:50 - Brad Little 34:12 - David Arnsperger 34:44 - Ivan Ozhogin 35:12 - Dmitri Ermak 35:36 - Mathias Edenborn 36:08 - Brent Barrett 36:50 - Andrey Shkoldychenko 37:20 - Peter Joback 37:45 - Thiago Arancam

[@akc783]

You are doing God’s work.

[@ALumina21]

Did I really just watch a 40 min video of the phantom taking off his cape? Yes and I loved every minute of it 😍

[@amyhuerta3980]

Honestly the Phantom’s hands are my sexuality.

[@erikthephantom1375]

Thank you?

[@aiya3130]

I have never related to a comment so much in my life.

[@erikthephantom1375]

@@aiya3130 😳

[@erikthephantom1375]

@Christine Daaé True.

[@tylerhaywardconstantine4595]

@@erikthephantom1375 wow nice

[@amidala904]

Hugh really goes for it in this scene. For those who say it's uncomfortable when he full on caresses himself, well, it's kind of supposed to be. The pleasure he gets from Christine's voice borders on if not crosses into sexual gratification.

[@henryf.miller9032]

When is Hugh though?

[@makmcminn3821]

T H I K K F R O G 8:06

[@henryamato2822]

I honestly think the best part about Hugh's is the semi-demented smile. It makes it almost less weird in a sense.

[@bawoman]

I love it, Michael Crawford does it too, though its harder to see

[@justess797]

And he is the king of taking the hat off!!

[@elisabethhutchinson2987]

15:28 He did the hair slick with one hand and I have to say it was incredibly attractive

[@glamgirlsg]

I get the feeling that the hair slick started out of necessity. Some of the early Phantoms remove the hat quite violently, so best check that the wig is still in place. From there, it became a tradition. Also, West End Phantoms tend not to touch their Christines to turn her around. Thanks for the awesome video!

[@PrismsofGlass]

Yes, it was definitely out of necessity. It actually began in rehearsals when Michael Crawford noticed that his wig was frizzy after taking off the hat and smoothed it down. Gillian Lynne, so the story goes, "melted" on the spot and asked that it become part of the blocking. And so it has been.

[@littlesongbird1]

@@PrismsofGlass Also the phantom singing Music of the night as if he is out of breath at first was due to an accident during a preview/dress rehearsal where the boat started to catch on fire and Michael had to quickly grab sarah and help put out the flames before quickly getting into song where he was understandably out of breath so he was kind of panting as he sang the opening line "Night" pant "time" pant "Sharpens" .

[@agdeb]

I’ve watched this video more times than I care to admit- Here’s a list of my favs: 1:17 - Earls hand movements are hypnotic, usually I like a hair slick but he more than made up for it!! 5:30 - Love the little head nod he does!! He also looks very imposing/intimidating 6:00 - The way his hand lingers by his mouth; also the movement he does with his hands over his chest!!! It’s so different I love it 8:05 - My top favorite!! THE SMILE. He’s unhinged and amazingly creepy and I could write a whole essay on this but I’ll spare you 13:20 - Just overall a wonderful phantom! The way he walks around her, he looks so infatuated with Christine 26:14 - When he holds onto Christine for a second after he turns her around!! Also A+ cape flourish 32:22 - Love his hand movements and self caress. He reeeally enjoys Christines singing Thank you Prism for this wonderful vid!!

[@bigjedimullet]

I love the ones who incorporate hand movements that make it look like he’s actually conducting her singing.

[@pipi-io9cq]

28:31 excuse me but her voice is like fkg crystal wtf? its so clear

[@julietantonio1049]

THIS is what I became a Phan for

[@mirfanyfer4530]

0:52 so...sensual, slow 1:16 OMG!! I love his hands 1:38 the way that he make the cape twirl is...wow 3:25 he's very aggressive...but I like It xd 4:23 "You alone can make me fly" haha 6:20 mmmm...delicious!!! 8:24 his smile

[@Volkodav822]

thank you for your kind words to our Russian Opera Ghosts, especially to Dmitry)

[@gloriabarberi1292]

Greg Mills at 6:21. Is he drooling?

[@olgathehandmaid]

RIP Phantom's amazing fedora. How many miles a year does that poor thing travel? Are there people offstage taking bets on who can catch it? Has it even been lost? He really flings that poor thing. 12:10, Setphen Butrock is an amazing Phantom, I love how captivated he is by her, you can really feel the character in those eyes of his!

[@TheCNRProject]

I concur with some other commenters that I do like it when the Phantom touches himself a little. I want to see some of that ecstasy he’s having. Though I do think some of them go a little too hard on the lingering and should restrain it a bit, so it seems like it’s a subconscious movement- a fleeting, light caress. Like they are so caught up in the moment they don’t really know what they’re doing with their hands. Even the light grazing of the edge of their coat is weirdly effective for me. I do like when they slick their hair back overall, no matter how they do it, so simple yet something so alluring about it. That said, I really liked Earl Carpenter’s rendition and there was no self-touching- not even a hair slick- so obviously no hard rules for me, but he had such a commanding way of “conducting” Christine that it made up for the lack of touching.

[@MrNoUsername]

34:28 Is very Lon Chaney-like because of the expression and the sudden jolt back just like when Christine took off his mask in the 1925 film but it’s just my opinion

[@christinedaae355]

I can agree with that 👍

[@lizzyyolanda2057]

Gotta yeet that hat and cape while trying to impress bae

[@christinedaae355]

I hate how true this is.

[@erikthephantom1375]

@@christinedaae355 😏

[@thinmints4life]

1:39 so I’m downstairs with my dad and when I saw this part of the video I said “Oh my god.” Out loud. Anyways I’m pretty sure he thinks I’m going insane.

[@andkyrmar]

14:25 Anthony Crevello's 'no nonsense' get this frickin' hat and cloak off me, already.

[@justess797]

He is so eager lol

[@erikthephantom1375]

YEET

[@ellalawler4573]

34:45 Ugh. That was a really good one. The movement was so quick and clean

[@80swoodpanel]

I love that part, his madness peers through. The crazier, the better, I love my Érik that way!

[@brezzainvernale]

8:20 this gives me goosebump, with that crazy smile in the end. Hey, the next one doesn't do the part with the hair

[@kendraressler4497]

Here are some that stood out to me: 10. David Shannon (2:31) 9. Hugh Panaro (8:02) 8. Scott Davies (0:45) 7. Thomas Borchert (30:19) 6. Michael Nicholson (27:16) 5. Brad Little (33:50) 4. Peter Karrie (21:29) 3. Ian Jon Bourg (27:42) 2. Earl Carpenter (1:15) 1. Davis Gaines (10:31) Honorable mentions Matthew Cammelle (1:38) Thomas James O'Leary (4:23) Gary Mauer (12:44) Paul Stanley (24:24) Jerzy Jeszke (24:47) Hans Peter Janssens (25:40) Roy Weissensteiner (28:56) Simon Pryce (31:50)

[@bigjedimullet]

Cammelle actually looks like he’s doing voice teacher stuff. “Yes, good, project from the diaphragm like I taught you, my Angel of Music!”

[@aminarangel5119]

Earl Carpenter is my favorite That almost voguing move he does with his arms is sooo hot I die everytime i watch it

[@王一一-s3y]

Yes!!! He is one of my favorite phantoms!!

[@bluestarthestar]

I got curious and wanted to see the cape twirls, so i searched "phantom of the opera cape twirl" and somehow found exactly that. So thank you for getting curious about this like four years ago lmao.

[@uniqueroque356]

I'd just like to say that the Christine with Hugh Panaro in 8:02 is in fact Mary Michael Patterson (poor Mary, always forgotten over Sierra 😂). I know because I have that entire video and I replay that hair stroke part a lot 😂

[@PrismsofGlass]

Thanks, though given that I far prefer Mary Michael Patterson over Sierra Boggess, I wouldn't say I forgot her, just that I probably switched clips and didn't update my cast notes. I cut a lot of clips and while I try to stay on top of the cast, it happens that I slip up on them. Thank you for the correction though.

[@theghostinthemirror8158]

I quite like the ones where they linger on themselves. Is it uncomfortable? Yes. But I think that’s what makes it so perfect. The Phantom is a creep, he’s crazy, and no matter how misunderstood he is he is a _bad_ _bad_ man. The lingering and feeling themselves up I think shows hints of just how weird and crazy he is. He’s not Just Christine’s misunderstood teacher, he’s a murderous old man who stalked her and played on her daddy issues to get her to trust him.

[@bawoman]

Idk I just find it sexy. Not creepy. I mean irl I guess I would find it creepy but this is a broadway musical lol

[@aiya3130]

Ghost in the mirror, is it weird that I one hundred per cent agree with everything you just said but also believe they would have been the absolute perfect couple in another universe? :/ Like, they have so much in common, he supported her career (albeit using very misguided and unethical methods lol), and she's clearly attracted to him in this adaptation (and, I would argue, in a weird, twisted way in the Leroux novel as well)... such a bummer that he happens to be a sociopath. ^^ I think that's why this musical hits me so hard emotionally. Like, the fact that women have to choose between safety and having an interesting and adventurous life/being with an interesting person. :/ I'm not expressing it very well but maybe people will know what I mean.

[@aiya3130]

@@bawoman Hahahaha this actually makes a lot of sense. ^^

[@littlesongbird1]

Yes. In the novel, which I am now tempted to read again, he is a very intelligent also manipulative. He knew exactly how to gain Christine's trust and how to get her close to him emotionally so he could control her. I also love the actors who sound a bit older than Christine because he is suppose to be old enough to be her father which was another way he controlled her (sadly as someone whom when she was in 20's didn't have a close father figure, I learned the hard way that not all older men want to take you under your wing, some are wolves in sheep clothing like Erik).

[@jessicamacaulay7462]

25th anniversary with Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess is my fav 😊 Feel like Ramin puts a lot of intensity into it without even touching Sierra

[@audreyjbancroft6613]

Some of them look like they want to devour her! Not that I would mind!

[@holly9096]

This is the video we all desperately needed

[@sameaston9587]

Is it bad for me to wish just once Phantom accidently hits Christine with the cape?

[@ashareeoo]

Geeze, Hugh 😲

[@bethwagoner5612]

Damn Anthony Crivello really said screw this hat. @14:25

[@audreyjbancroft6613]

Love Davis Gaines one handed cape twirl at 10:34. I don't like when they just take the cape off,more dramatic if they do it with flair!!!!!!!!!!

[@MadameChristie]

11:42 Someone had a costume malfunction XD Also, what is it with Russian Phantoms and dramatic hands? XP Hell Ivan Ozhogin even does the hands when he's playing Krolock XD

[@AlexB-vb2tw]

Being bisexual is when you have to keep backing the video up because your brain can't decide whether to focus on the beautiful lady singing like a siren or the cloak-wearing masked man tearing off his clothes onstage. Amirite? ^^

[@sushiferz]

LITERALLY MY MIND

[@gypsysmiles]

Yep. That’s why I’ve watched this a billion times

[@Awesome44322]

Hi! Just a suggestion for a possible future comparison, but I'd love to see one with a Carlotta's Hannibal cadenza. And I know this other one may not be as popular, but I would also love to see one of Carlotta's high E at the end of the Notes 1 scene before Prima Donna!

[@kilayla13]

10:34 *incoherent fangirl screaming into my black gloves*

[@AtMyHappyPlace]

10:34 Davis Gaines in the best in my opinion.

[@grace4742]

thank you for putting this together!

[@alexstanek8426]

We really not gonna talk about the hat toss?

[@Mario-R-3232]

Having seen the show nearly 40 times since 1987 with more than 30 performers, my top10 would be: Michael Crawford, Dave Willetts, Peter Karrie, John Owen Jones, Colm Wilkinson, Ramin Karimloo, Hugh Panaro, Peter Joback, Anthony Warlow, Ben Lewis. With that order.

[@ZidaneWarner]

I think Scott Davis is the winner. His cape twril is spellbinding.

[@gogo.horrorshow]

Oh myyyyy. I’m gonna need to be alone with a glass of champagne and a cigarette after this one! 🥵

[@mjjago]

Peter Karrie’s cape twirl was in a class of it’s own.

[@ebmosier1]

I saw John Cudia in the '06 tour, a few rows from the front. He did this up-and-down, animalistic look at her as he came to turn her. It was amazing.

[@jennyjpbr]

Os melhores pra mim: Hugh Panaro, Davis Gaines, Michael Crawford, Scott Davies, Tim Martin Gleason, Thomas Borchert.

[@brezzainvernale]

Thank you for this, really intersting! And all of them are so beautiful made!

[@heyitsblinded]

Peter Jöback over here lookin like he air bending or something

[@christinedaae355]

Timestamp?

[@ChrisC-wn7ue]

37:20

[@erikthephantom1375]

Oh my God

[@navidnamini1169]

Colm's was the best! SO much passion and madness

[@helenwang7884]

Love this! This an hilarious idea. Karimloo is my favourite phantom.

[@jk09345568]

Phew they all nailed it.

[@olyn8683]

1:50 at this moment a car made that trumpet sound nearby

[@melaniesheen1642]

So many great Phantoms but my favourite are Ramin, Michael Crawford and Hugh,

[@gloriabarberi1292]

I wonder if some Phantoms pass their hands on the coat to get rid of all the oil they have in their hair

[@aiya3130]

GlassPrism, thank you so much for making this! :)))

[@miyaben6601]

What do I have to do for you to email me the full show with Ali ewoldt?

[@PrismsofGlass]

Email me please. My trading site is linked on my KZbin home page, and that will have my email.

[@eduardojuarez2052]

Sorry, you have the proshot of Mexico City with irasema terrazas and Saulo Vasconcelos? Video of minute 26:12

[@inkypearlz]

Personally, I like Ramin the most

[@blackngoldcuttlefish3390]

Some of them are so angry about it, lol!

[@TheLilystar01]

For some reason I find the like “self-caressing” some of them do very disturbing. No idea why like hat toss yes please, fancy cape flick sign me the heck up, hand running through hair sure go ahead. Then the awkward lingering hands on the torso no please no.

[@blackngoldcuttlefish3390]

YEah watching a bunch of these in a row makes me realize how kinda creepy and intimidating the Phantom is at this part lmao...some more than others...

[@MrNoUsername]

Erik is a creep and a stalker who is obsessed with Christine so much so that just her voice turns him on or at least that’s what it looks like. He caresses himself to either make himself more attractive or just doing it because of the fact Christine turns him on sexually due to her beauty and beautiful voice

[@LissyAvenita]

NORM 👀👀👀😩😩💖😥😰

[@maria-np6tc]

you earned a new subscriber for this vid!

[@DarsiPadilla]

Is there like a list of Phantoms?

[@cianog6200]

Where did you find the Mikael Samuelson footage at 17:30??

[@PrismsofGlass]

Someone from the production posted a full monitor video of the original Stockholm production and I downloaded it off KZbin before it was taken down.

[@cianog6200]

Saw the whole show footage back in 2019/2020 but it got deleted Haven’t see it since

[@nirenoodlexd6220]

Harriet Jones from fly dale north (former pm) 😂😂

[@DJFPhantomPhan]

So I’m not the only one who thinks that every time! 😂

[@sundus928]

Christine is now screaming in my head 😲😲AaaaaaAaAaAaaAaAaaAaaaa.......😵😂

[@ldpadventures833]

9:05 you might be wrong about the year this was filmed in 1989 acording to me because on your trading website there are only audios of this show

[@PrismsofGlass]

Maybe, but the dates for the LA videos are vague to begin with, apart from the January 3, 1991 video and the ones of the last few performances.

[@emmalynn1420]

6:33 with Jeremy Stolle is the best in my opinion

[@aiya3130]

I love Jeremy Stolle so much!!!

[@Tymala1]

I’m glad he is still on deck to play the role when needed

[@cnoelad83]

I've seen Rebecca Pitcher live. She wasn't very good at all. 😐 I've seen Hugh Panaro ,twice. He is the best Phantom ever (I've seen it, alot) that's being compared to seeing Davis Gaines live as well.

[@natekrieger5741]

Regarding Peter in Sweden…How do yu say the line?! It’s hard to hear pronunciation. Plz help.

[@MadameChristie]

Earl Carpenter does not give 2 fucks about his cape does he XD. He just kinda plops it down, no twirly flourish etc XP

[@DarsiPadilla]

@Glass Prism, is there one for the tour in the Philippines circa 2012?

[@PrismsofGlass]

There's been some pretty extensive lists, but I have not seen a list of every Phantom in every location ever - there's too many standbys, alternates, understudies, swings, and emergency covers to list. For the World Tour that came to Manila in 2012, the principal Phantom was Jonathan Roxmouth. I believe the understudy was Ian Jon Bourg.

[@dianastandefer3172]

So what clip has no sound, Glass Prism?

[@abbiemassey6712]

Why is gerard butler and emmy Roseum not in it

[@xpa-beads501]

this isn’t blocked into the movie

[@kellycannobbio746]

Gerard had the best cape moves…

[@cjwoodward21]

John Cudia is by far the best Phantom there is.

[@navidnamini1169]

Do u have Brent barretts music of the night during his run in Germany

[@kellycannobbio746]

Gerard Butler’s version… especially his cape moves… 💕😁🔥🎭

[@christinedaae355]

My mom saw 19:58 live. LUCKY.

[@aiya3130]

Omg!! I would give a year of my life to see Patti Cohenour as Christine! That's amazing.

[@christinedaae355]

@@aiya3130 ifk who she saw Christine wise, but it was Colm. Probably was her.

[@manchestertart5614]

Scott, Matt and Earl are the best Phantoms ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@mysterymaiden]

Are you going to make any more comparisons

[@PrismsofGlass]

Yeah, I actually remade two comparison videos that were taken down; I'm just waiting for certain dates to pass. If you have any ideas for a comparison, I'd also be happy to hear them!

[@mysterymaiden]

@@PrismsofGlass what dates so I know when to look. A recommendation if you can find them is "stranger than you dreamt it". And thank you for the reply 😁.

[@theghostinthemirror8158]

Mystery Maiden that’d be awesome!

[@estellebam7342]

Where is Ramin?

[@PrismsofGlass]

Um, literally just 2 minutes into the video?

[@scotthamp384]

Estel Bam at 2:10

[@scotthamp384]

Glass Prism did you only have from his West End run? Or did you also have from the RAH show? I didn't feel like watching the whole video?

[@justess797]

@@scotthamp384 you cant see that, the camera is on Sierra in that scene.

[@melissam597]

*Chill* 😪

[@jasminnemcdonald94A]

Don't mind me. I'm just a woman with Autism randomly looking at videos

[@jenniferp9136]

Kevin and Teri ❤️❤️ my faves

[@michellec717]

Paul Stanley no contest

[@hellofriends2649]

Cool

[@finleyforevermore]

0:45

[@ldpadventures833]

scott davis is the best for this one

[@finleyforevermore]

11:42

[@finleyforevermore]

28:33

[@alexstanek8426]

2:19 WHO IS THIS CHICK???

[@PrismsofGlass]

I mean, I literally say the name of the Christines in the captions, but that is Gina Beck.

[@alexstanek8426]

@@PrismsofGlass No, I'm being dramatic. I'm making a joke about it isn't Sierra with Ramin.

[@PrismsofGlass]

@@alexstanek8426 Yeah, I figured, but it's pretty hard to tell over text. Thanks for clarifying!

[@alexstanek8426]

@@PrismsofGlass Np! :)

[@melissam597]

Alex Stanek Gina performed with Ramin for around 18 months, six shows a week, with Sierra he only did the three shows ever and she likewise performed many more times with Brent Barrett, Anthony Crivello, Hugh Panaro and Norm Lewis (and would have with Gardar Thor Cortes had the French show not gone down in flames - literally). “Rierra” don’t own each other lol.

[@finleyforevermore]

1:17

[@finleyforevermore]

8:30