Continuity mistake: After Gandalf and Pippin have their unfortunate meeting with Denethor, they walk towards the prow of the city. As they stand there, the distance between themselves and the White Tree/guards/statues differs significantly between Gandalf's and Pippin's individual close-ups, their back shots and when Gandalf moves closer to Pip. In some of these consecutive shots soldiers walk up the ramp in front of the White Tree, yet in other shots they're non-existent. (Extended Edition) (00:48:50)
Continuity mistake: On the fields of Pelennor, when Pippin finds Merry, he rolls the large Orc off to Merry's side, but the Orc's long black hair is still beside the Hobbit's head. However, only in Merry's close-ups the Orc's black hair is gone. (00:49:10)
Continuity mistake: As Frodo and Sam walk by the cross-roads of the Fallen King, they pass the large severed stone head. The area around the head, including plants, branches, etc., differs between the two close-ups and the overhead shots. (Extended Edition) (00:51:25)
Revealing mistake: In Osgiliath, while the Gondorians battle the Orcs, in quite a few shots it's obvious that the fighting is staged. In one shot in particular a helmeted Orc slams his double blade axe into the chest of a Ranger, yet it's clear that the sharp axe does not leave any mark whatsoever as he falls to the ground. (00:52:00)
Continuity mistake: In the opening shot as Gandalf stands on the balcony at Minas Tirith the many buildings beside the balcony are shown. When Gandalf says, "If the garrison at Osgiliath falls, the last..." as he continues, "...defense of this city will be gone," the buildings beside the balcony are once again visible. To say that the buildings are completely different in the two shots would be a vast understatement! (This has absolutely nothing to do with camera angles. Extended Edition.) (00:52:10 - 00:54:30)
Continuity mistake: At Minas Tirith there is a wide shot of Gandalf on the balcony, and as he begins to cough while he smokes, Pippin lies in the bed behind him. Yet, in the very next close-up, as Gandalf continues to cough, Pippin now stands beside the bed, with his new Gondorian garments actually spread out on the made bed in front of him. Then, in later shots the unmade bed is perfectly visible. (Extended Edition) (00:52:10)
Visible crew/equipment: At Minas Tirith, in the opening wide shot as Gandalf smokes on the balcony, the large light whose body is mounted on the ceiling behind Gandalf, is perfectly visible overhead, to his left. (Extended Edition) (00:52:10)
Revealing mistake: In Osgiliath, when Faramir's lieutenant shots, "Faramir" and the men fire arrows at the Orcs, some of these arrows disappear and reappear in the Orcs. (00:52:15)
Continuity mistake: When Gandalf coughs and mockingly says, "Guard of the Citadel," two of the tall candles on the hanging ceiling fixture (not the wall fixture) are visible behind him now and in following shots too. When Gandalf says, "It's the deep breath before the plunge," those two candles, as well as the others on the ceiling fixture, are nearly entirely melted, though they are tall again in subsequent shots. (Extended Edition) (00:52:45 - 00:53:20)
Continuity mistake: On the balcony at Minas Tirith, when Pip hands Gandalf the cup of water, the large rug at the foot of the bed is clearly visible, as is the wood bench on the balcony. In following shots, including when Gandalf says, "This will be the end of Gondor as we know it," the bench's position very noticeably differs and the large rug is actually gone!! (Extended Edition) (00:52:55 - 00:54:15)
Continuity mistake: Whilst Sam runs up the stairs to rescue Frodo, before Shagrat makes off with the Mithril shirt, quite a few changes occur between the two consecutive shots. The larger hole in Shagrat's chain maille sleeve shrinks, his hair goes from flat and stringy to fuller and neater, the way he grips the shirt differs, and in the second shot he wears something reddish - which is seen through the chain maille tears, but in the previous shot it was black. (00:53:00)
Revealing mistake: While on the balcony at Minas Tirith, Pippin asks, "Is there any hope, Gandalf, for Frodo and Sam?" and in the next back shot of Gandalf standing beside Pippin, the Mordor 'storm' brews in the CG distance. The dome of a building is directly in front of them, to the right. When the beacon of Minas Morgul rises to the sky, there is another back shot of Gandalf and Pippin. In this shot that building with the dome is gone, though it should be visible! (This has nothing to do with camera angles. Extended Edition.) (00:53:40 - 00:57:25)
Continuity mistake: Faramir and his men ride out of Osgiliath, and in the first wide shot their shadows are behind them. Thereafter as they ride, sometimes the shadow is directly below them, in front of them or to their left, and as Gandalf rides towards them, in one shot his shadow is in front of him to his left. Obviously filmed at different times of the day. (00:53:45)
Continuity mistake: In Minas Tirith, while Gandalf and Pippin speak on the balcony, the position and actual height of the chair beside the fireplace varies significantly, as does the position of the candle wall fixture which is attached to the wall, above the chair. (This has nothing to do with camera angles. Extended Edition.) (00:53:50 - 00:55:00)
Revealing mistake: Faramir and his men retreat towards Minas Tirith, someone shouts, "Take cover, my lord! It's coming!" In this shot Faramir starts to duck from the Nazgul overhead and seen to his left are his men. After Gandalf rides towards them and a Nazgul lifts a horse and its rider, Faramir is ducking again with the same men to his left in the same positions as the earlier shot. Obviously this is the same sequence that was edited to include shots in between. (00:53:55)
Audio problem: As Gandalf and Pippin stand on the balcony at Minas Tirith, Gandalf says, "This will be the end of Gondor..." but as he audibly continues to say, "...as we know it," visually his mouth says something completely different. (Extended Edition) (00:54:15)
Revealing mistake: After entering Minas Tirith with Faramir and his men, Faramir stares at Pippin who sits in front of Gandalf. In Pippin's close-up, one of Gandalf's hands hold his staff and the other is on Pippin. These are not Ian McKellan's (Gandalf) hands and this occurs quite a few times throughout the film, as when Gandalf yells, "Fool of a Took" and places his hand on Merry's shoulder. McKellan's hands are seen many times in the film and among the differences; he has age spots (the actor is currently in his sixties) on his hands. (00:55:25)
Continuity mistake: When Frodo, Sam and Gollum reach the "dead city" of Minas Morgul, the stones, pebbles and dirt along the path and on the ground, below the Gargoyles, change in the consecutive shots. (00:55:40)
Continuity mistake: After Pippin swears his oath to Denethor, the Steward derides Faramir about disloyalty, and standing behind Faramir are four men (servants perhaps), seen in the far and close-up shots. When Faramir asks, "What would you have me do?" two of those four servants leave in this close-up. In the next far wide shot, as Denethor taunts, "Is there a captain here..." the same four servants are behind Faramir. Then as Faramir says, "...I had died and Boromir lived..." in this close-up, there are two servants again. (00:59:20)
Continuity mistake: As Frodo, Sam and Gollum begin to climb the stairs at Cirith Ungol, Sam asks, "Hey, what's in this tunnel?" then grabs Gollum and pushes him to the stone wall. In the wideshot, Gollum's back is noticeably up against a different part of the wall, than in the previous and following close-ups. (00:59:35)
Answer: Aragorn is 210 years old when he dies. Some of the early texts give his age at death as 190, but Tolkien eventually confirmed that 210 is the correct age.
Tailkinker ★