Continuity mistake: As Bilbo is writing, in the close-up shot of Bilbo dipping his quill into the ink well the arrangement of the ink well, other bottles and various items on the shelf differs from the next close-up shot when he stretches at his desk and calls out, "Frodo, someone at the door!" (00:08:35)
Continuity mistake: At Bilbo's party, as the fireworks dragon flies overhead, in the close-up shot, when Frodo calls out, "Bilbo!" the two people behind Frodo were not there in the wide shot just before this shot. This is not due to any Hobbits running. Also in that wide shot, Bilbo moves to Frodo's immediate left, but in that close-up he's away from Frodo, so Frodo has to move closer to him in this shot. (00:23:15)
Continuity mistake: At Amon Hen, when Merry and Pippin realize that Frodo needs to leave, they start jumping up and down and shouting to get the attention of the Uruk-hai. While they jump up and down, in the back shot, Pippin is behind Merry, but in the front shot, Pippin is in front of Merry. (01:20:20)
Continuity mistake: In the first close-up shot of Bilbo writing the words "Concerning Hobbits" in his book, the formation of the letters in the words "Concerning Hobbits" are written differently in this close-up than it is in the next close-up, when it shows he has finished nine lines on the page. (00:08:45)
Continuity mistake: When Gandalf reaches Bag End, in the wide shot while he's still in the wagon we don't see certain things that are seen in the next close-up shot when Gandalf stands at the front door. Seen in the close-up, the short small pink and purple flowers that are located on the ground to the right and left of the front door. Also, the large tall pink flowers growing against the wall to the left of the door seen behind Gandalf in this shot. (00:15:20)
Continuity mistake: When the Troll breaks through the doorway at Balin's Tomb Legolas lets loose an arrow at his right shoulder. As the Troll stomps towards Sam the arrow is seen, then disappears, then seen again. When the Troll lifts up his mace the arrow is not seen, but when the mace is at the Troll's shoulder the arrow is there and the chain goes right through the arrow. As he tries to slam the mace down onto Sam the chain goes right through the arrow again. As Sam dives between the Troll's legs the arrow disappears and then reappears again. (00:29:40)
Continuity mistake: Frodo pours tea and begins talking with Gandalf in the kitchen. In Frodo's shots, the drape of the white cloth on the right side of the fireplace changes. In the shots where the white cloth is different there is also a sack on Frodo's left that is not there in other shots. Behind Gandalf, the white cloth that hangs from the hook on the hutch also changes its shape and length between the side, front and close-up shots. (00:38:00)
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: Pippin is falling down the hill after the incident with Farmer Maggot. In the shot from above, we see he is about to land with his chest right on top of the pile of dung. Yet, in the successive side shot of him, the dung is obviously not beneath his body, and we see in the next shot of his face, that the dung is now in front of his face, for him to remark, "Oh, that was close!" (00:52:35)
Continuity mistake: After Gandalf arrives at Bag End, in the wide shots looking through the doorway of the kitchen, the white cloth on the mantle over the fireplace hangs twice the length as it does in the next close-up, when Bilbo says, "I can make you some eggs if you'd-" Then, while they're in the kitchen, the white cloth hangs longer again. (00:17:20)
Continuity mistake: After diverting the Uruk-hai at Amon Hen, Pippin and Merry run. Just before Boromir comes to their rescue, in the far shot, they are seen running over a stone bridge and Pippin is in front of Merry. In the very next close-up, Merry is running in front of Pippin. (01:20:55)
Continuity mistake: At the Council of Elrond, as Frodo puts the Ring on the stone table, the bottom of both sides of Legolas' cloak are on his knees. As Gandalf says, "For the Black Speach of Mordor, may yet be heard," the bottom right of Legolas' cloak is between his legs. As Boromir says, "Long has my father, the Steward of Gondor, kept the forces of Mordor at bay," the bottom right of Legolas' cloak is now at his side. When Aragorn says, "You can not wield it, none of us can," the bottom right of Legolas' cloak is between his legs. Just before Legolas rises to say, "This is no mere Ranger," the bottom of both sides of Legolas' cloak are on his knees again. (01:37:55)
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 Aragorn speaks with Frodo near the stairs at Amon Hen, the greenery sticking out of the indivial steps in these shots differ and actually change their position on the stairs significantly, after Aragorn yells, "Run!" and then walks toward the many Uruk-hai. (01:17:50 - 01:18:30)
Continuity mistake: Just after Gandalf enters Bag End for the first time he looks the map of Middle Earth on the table. In first shot when he is grabbing the map, you can see that there are two scrolls and a flat empty paper stacked on the map. In next shot, there is only one scroll and a paper with some kind of pattern on it. (00:16:20)
Continuity mistake: In the shot just after Saruman is communicating with the palantir, Saruman is sitting at his desk. On his desk in the foreground is one candelabra, with a black short vase next to it. In the next shot from behind Saruman we see the candelabra and black vase, but we also see the thin candles of a second four stem candelabra on the desk. Do not confuse those four thin even height candles with the broad pillar candles under the window in the next front shot of Saruman. (01:09:05)
Continuity mistake: Gandalf and Bilbo sit on the bench outside of Bag End smoking and in the distance is the Party Tree, the tents and party lights, etc. from Bilbo's party. During the party, Bilbo is speaking with the lights above him and the position of various tents are shown during the entire celebration. Later, invisible Bilbo comes to the gate at Bag End and the Party Tree with all the tents surrounding it are seen (minus the tent that the rocket took and the tent that the 'dragon' burned). The position and arrangement of some tents, lights, etc. are different in all of these shots. (00:19:25)
Continuity mistake: The Fellowship stand at the ready at Balin's Tomb, looking towards the door that is barred with the axes. There are also two spears, but nothing else is leaning on the two doors. In the shot right after Gimli says, "Let them come," this shot shows them all from behind. As Legolas and Aragorn step away from each other, the door is seen and leaning on the door to the left is Boromir's shield, who is standing to the left of the screen minus a shield. Boromir does not move. In the next shot of the door the shield isn't there and in the next shot of Boromir, he's holding his shield. (00:28:40)
Continuity mistake: At the Council of Elrond, the first time Frodo says, "I will take it," in the back shot of Gandalf as he argues with Boromir there is a grey cloaked Elf behind him. In the next front wide shot of Gandalf, the green cloaked Elf stands behind him to his right. As Frodo repeats, "I will take it," then says, "I will take the Ring to Mordor," Gandalf turns around and the grey cloaked Elf is behind him. The Council scene took five days to shoot and there were many different variations of the same shots. (01:43:20)
Continuity mistake: At Bag End while speaking with Gandalf, Bilbo packs his bag and he puts his pipe into it. The mouthpiece goes into the bag with the bowl part sticking out of the bag. Yet, when Gandalf asks, "Is that so hard?" the mouthpiece is now sticking out of the bag and the bowl part is in the bag. (00:26:35)
Answer: It is a different staff. Look at the branches at the top of the staff.
Garlonuss ★