The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Continuity mistake: When Shelob retreats into her lair, Sam runs to Frodo and lays Sting down on the ground. It lies on dirt that has white rocks showing through underneath, which is even seen in the last overhead wide shot of Sam holding Frodo. Yet in the next close-up of Sting glowing blue, it is lying on plain dirt. (01:52:40 - 01:53:30)

Super Grover

Audio problem: As the King of the Dead and his army listen, Aragorn shouts, "You have my word! Fight, and I will release you..." However, in the wide shot as he continues, "...from this living death!" Aragorn's mouth shouts something completely different. (Extended Edition) (01:56:10)

Super Grover

Continuity mistake: As the Rohirrim approach Minas Tirith, they arrive on the flank of the Mordor army, putting them to the north of the battle (the Mordor forces are attacking from Osgiliath in the east to Minas Tirith to the west). As they do so, the Sun appears behind them, rising in the north rather than in the east. (01:57:05)

Continuity mistake: When Theoden is planning the attack before the battle of the Pelennor fields, Grimbold rides across the front of his horse and rides a considerable distance, but in the next shot, he hasn't even set off yet, and is still behind Theoden. (01:58:00 - 01:59:00)

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King mistake picture

Continuity mistake: When Faramir is carried up and placed near the White Tree, Denethor walks down the stairs to approach him. The two soldiers who stand on the stairs outside the palace doors repeatedly change from standing on the 4th step, to the 5th step, then to the 4th, back on the 5th, and so on, in the first and all the following shots. (01:59:25)

Super Grover

Deliberate mistake: After Skully orders the catapults to release the decapitated heads, shots of the Gondorian soldiers are flipped, which is noticeable in close-ups of their legs - note the sword sheaths that hang at their right sides, instead of left. (01:59:50)

Super Grover

Revealing mistake: During the charge of Pelennor fields, when the Rohirrim are fired upon and when they clash with the Orcs, in many shots either the Rohirrim, horses' bodies or Orcs partially disappear and may reappear within the melee. For example, when the riders are fired upon the real horses run right through some fallen CG horses and riders and in another shot two Orcs' arms disappear as horses ride by. (02:00:10)

Super Grover

Revealing mistake: During the charge of the Rohirrim on the Pelennor fields, there is a close-up of Éomer. His spear is held in his right hand, he tosses it up and amazingly changes his hand position on the spear in mid-air as he rides. Another rider is behind Éomer to his left and as this man rides the spear he holds above his head bobs up and down like rubber, as does the spear behind Éomer's right shoulder. (02:00:30)

Super Grover

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King mistake picture

Continuity mistake: At Minas Tirith, after injured Faramir is carried up, Denethor walks away and sees the Orc army for the first time. In the next shot when the Troll lifts the rock onto the catapult, this catapult is totally different in the close-up and following wide shot. (02:00:35)

Super Grover

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King mistake picture

Revealing mistake: Trying to save Faramir, Pippin shouts, "Gandalf!" and in the first shot from behind Pip, he runs towards Gandalf, the Gondorian soldiers run towards the camera and he is perfectly Hobbit sized. However, in the next shot, facing Pippin, he is not only further away than in the previous shot, when he runs towards the camera as the Gondorians run past him, Pippin is now much taller, almost as tall as the soldiers he passes. (02:00:50)

Continuity mistake: After Denethor looks down at the Orc army, mumbling about Rohan's desertion, Gothmog laughs as the stones are catapulted towards Minas Tirith. Then there are two close-ups of people running and screaming and at the start of the second shot, Pippin is fleeing off screen at the right. But that's impossible, Pippin is still with Faramir, near the White Tree. (02:00:55)

Super Grover

Continuity mistake: When Pippin first kills an orc in Minas Tirith, his blade has no blood on it but a second later, blood appears. (02:01:05)

Deliberate mistake: After Denethor shouts, "Abandon your posts! Flee! Flee for your lives!" in the flipped shot of the soldiers at the wall, please note all the sword sheaths at the right side of their hips, instead of the usual left. (02:01:20)

Super Grover

Continuity mistake: At Minas Tirith, when Gandalf knocks Denethor out with his staff and then shouts, "Prepare for battle!" the silver broach he wears on his cloak is backwards (not upside-down). Interestingly, his belt is actually on properly, and the background is also as it should be. (02:01:25)

Super Grover

Deliberate mistake: At Minas Tirith, Gandalf slams his staff across Denethor's face and shouts, "Prepare for battle." In the next shot he rides Shadowfax, from right to left, past a fix-it shop and three shots later he rides past the same shop, from left to right - the second shot is flipped. (02:01:35)

Super Grover

Deliberate mistake: Some moments after Gandalf whacks Denethor, the wizard rides Shadowfax up the stairs and all the archers' quivers hang on their right, instead of left. Then, the wizard shouts, "Send the foul beast into the abyss!" in a close-up that is flipped - note Gandalf's cloak broach, which is backwards. Another following close-up of the wizard is also flipped. All done for direction continuity. (02:01:55)

Super Grover

Continuity mistake: When Shadowfax breaks down the door to the Tomb of the Stewards, in the shot facing Gandalf he grabs the guard's spear and points the blunt end towards Denethor on the pyre as Shadowfax rides forward. In the next shot from behind, never altering his tight grip, now the tip of the spear is pointed at Denethor as he charges forward. (02:02:10)

Super Grover

Continuity mistake: After entering the Tomb of the Stewards, Gandalf grabs the spear, charges forward and ahead of him stands Denethor on the pyre which is now engulfed in a tall blaze on the left side. Yet in the next shot as Gandalf reaches the pyre, only the tip of the fire is barely visible below the height of the pyre. Then in the next shot as Gandalf strikes Denethor, it is once again a high fiery mass. (02:02:10)

Super Grover

Revealing mistake: At the end of the film in the shot from behind as Bilbo is walking towards Elrond and then up the boat ramp, we see the head of the "little person" playing the small version of him. His head is actually in a different proportion compared to the previous shots. The top of his head is considerably larger than before. (02:04:15)

Scrappy

Gimli: Certainty of death; small chance of success...what are we waiting for?

More quotes from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Trivia: At the end of the film, young Elanor Gamgee is played by none other than Sean Astin's own daughter in a cameo. Not only that, but Frodo Gamgee (the baby) is played by Maisie McLeod-Riera, the daughter of Sarah McLeod, who plays Sam's wife, Rosie.

More trivia for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Question: When Déagol finds the ring, Sméagol asks to have it. When Déagol asks why, Sméagol says because it's his birthday and that he wanted it. Was it really Sméagol's birthday or was he already so quickly drawn by the ring's power that he only claimed it was in hopes that Déagol would hand it over?

Answer: In the book, it absolutely was his birthday.

Brian Katcher

What chapter in the book where smeagol kills deagol?

DFirst1

The Fellowship of the Ring, chapter two 'The Shadow of the Past.'.

Brian Katcher

Answer: It probably wasn't his birthday on that exact day, that would be too much of a coincidence. But close is definitely possible, or at least closer than Deagol's. Both were immediately drawn by the ring, heavily enough that they fought over it and Smeagol becoming the ultimate winner. Both did everything to keep it.

lionhead

More questions & answers from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

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