Continuity mistake: After finding Sam under the window Gandalf throws Sam on the table. In some shots Sam's shoulders are at the edge of the table and in some, it's not. Under Sam's shoulders on the table in some shots, there are assorted papers that change position and in two shots no paper at all. In the shot from the front, where Gandalf is slamming Sam down, the candle shown is much shorter than the candle shown in the other shots. (00:42:25)
Continuity mistake: When Frodo and Sam are in the field with the scarecrow, in the close up shot they're a lot closer together than in the wider shot. Nothing to do with perspective - check out the amount of green corn in front of Frodo in the two shots. The scarecrow also changes place and it's sometimes next to some corn and sometimes not. (00:42:40)
Other mistake: When Sam and Frodo are in the field with the scarecrow, you can plainly see a car cruising past in the distance, from right to left. Further comment - there are two different shots which show the car moving from right to left. One starts at the top right distance, and in a shot a few seconds later the car has traveled down the road a bit and is more easily visible. Complicating matters is that the dust thrown up by the car looks similar to smoke from a chimney in the right distance, making some people think it is just the chimney. But chimneys don't move, and the smoke from the chimney is separate from the moving vehicle. [It is deleted on the DVD, but you can still see an obvious bit of image fakery on the hill just left of the smoking chimney. One can see the hill, tree, and surrounding area move up and down and shimmer slightly where someone has done a cut and paste to cover up the auto. The "car inclusive" scene appears on the National Geographic documentary, "Beyond the Movie The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring." Also, watch the music documentary on the Extended DVD - when it shows this scene the car is still in it. Bizarrely, in his commentary Peter Jackson said he never saw a car and doesn't know what people are talking about, but the production/post-production team say in their commentary that despite not thinking anyone would be able to see it, they took it out anyway.] (00:42:55)
Revealing mistake: When Gandalf first sends the Hobbits on their journey, they are in the forest and the Hobbits walk up to Gandalf and the horse, you can tell that the Hobbits are dressed up little people rather than the actors themselves. You can tell by their stature, and how they walk. (00:43:05)
Continuity mistake: When Frodo tells Sam about the Wood Elves, they both run up the hill and crouch behind a fallen log. In the shot of their backs and the elves in the background, Frodo is on the right side and Sam on the left. In the previous shot of their faces, Frodo was also on the right and Sam on the left. Extended DVD. (00:43:35)
Continuity mistake: After leaving the Mines of Moria, the Fellowship flee toward Lothlorien. Aragorn runs through a rocky bed of water, stops and smiles looking ahead. In the shot from the front, the top of his bow is hardly seen at his shoulder, but in the shot from behind the top of the bow is way up higher than his shoulder. (00:44:00)
Continuity mistake: When Haldir says, "Welcome Legolas, son of Thranduil," the outfit that Legolas wears is not the same in these shots than in the previous and following shots. Gimli's hair/beard are not as full and his prosthetics are a bit different too. Apparently this scene was one of the first to be filmed, but they realized later that this outfit wasn't working for the role of Legolas, so they changed it. Commentary on extended DVD. (00:45:30)
Audio problem: When Haldir is seen talking to the Fellowship in Lothlorien in the extended edition, he says "You can go no further." From Aragorn's point of view you can see Haldir saying "You can go no-" but when Haldir is walking away, he isn't moving his mouth to say the word "further." (00:46:18)
Continuity mistake: When Gandalf and Saruman are talking in Orthanc, we can see a black strap around Gandalf's fingers on the hand holding his staff. In some shots it's around different fingers, in others it's disappeared completely. (00:46:20)
Continuity mistake: Haldir, Aragorn and Legolas are standing looking out in this front close-up shot, as Haldir says, "Caras Galadhon." In the next wide shot from behind, as Haldir's voice is heard saying, "The heart of Elvendom on earth," it is blatantly obvious that it is Morgan Evans's (O. Bloom's double) profile near Haldir - note his height and cheek/jaw line. (00:47:25)
Continuity mistake: When Gandalf and Saruman are about to fight, Gandalf switches his staff from his left to his right hand. When Saruman smashes him against the wall, the staff is back in the left hand. (00:48:20)
Continuity mistake: When Gandalf and Saruman are fighting, Gandalf is thrown to the ground and starts bleeding. But if you look carefully, every other shot Gandalf has blood on his face, then none, then more blood, then none. (00:48:30)
Audio problem: At Orthanc, as Saruman and Gandalf walk towards the Palantir, Saruman asks, "Why? Why should we fear to use it?" but his lips say something completely different. (00:48:40)
Continuity mistake: At Orthanc, after Gandalf throws the cover over the Palantir, before and during the fight the cover's length and position on different sides of the pedestal changes in many shots. It has nothing to do with the angle of the camera. (00:48:55)
Continuity mistake: As Gandalf and Saruman battle each other at Orthanc, both Saruman's and Gandalf's staffs either change position drastically or actually change hands, in consecutive shots. For example after Gandalf 'strikes' Saruman the first time, Saruman slams Gandalf to the floor, Gandalf's staff is in his right hand, yet, in the next overhead shot it's beside him, under his left hand. (00:50:15)
Continuity mistake: When the hobbits first start to run away from Farmer Maggot, they are running through the corn, which is much taller than them. Two seconds later, when the camera angle changes to the wide view (you can see all four hobbits running through the corn), their heads are even with, if not slightly above the corn. After it shows that the corn is about their height, there is the last shot of them coming out of the corn field and the stalks are again much taller than them. (00:50:20)
Continuity mistake: When Saruman and Gandalf start to battle at Orthanc, the first time Gandalf points his staff, he causes Saruman to slam onto his back. In the close-up of Saruman, the white wrap around the palm of his hand and wrist is perfectly visible on his right hand. He does not wear the wrap on his hand in the previous and most of the following shots. (00:50:25)
Continuity mistake: When Gandalf and Saruman fight at Orthanc, Gandalf causes Saruman to slam backwards into the wall and then Saruman makes Gandalf spin horizontally in mid-air. In the next shot, when Gandalf falls, the wrap around his left hand is visible, yet, he does not wear it in the previous and following shots. (00:50:35)
Continuity mistake: During the fight between Gandalf and Saruman at Orthanc, after Saruman slams backwards into the wall Saruman causes Gandalf to spin horizontally in mid-air. As Gandalf spins he loses grip of his staff, yet, in the next close-up as he hits the ground the staff is still in his hand. (00:50:35)
Visible crew/equipment: During their fight at Orthanc, in the wide overhead shot, as Saruman flies backwards towards the large doors, the wire attached to the back of Christopher Lee's outfit is visibly pulling his clothes. (00:50:45)
Answer: "Fly, you fools"