Continuity mistake: After getting caught in the web at Shelob's Lair in Cirith Ungol, Frodo's Elven cloak and the rest of his clothes are covered in web material. Following this, there are quite a few consecutive shots in which the amount, position, or existence of web on his body, changes within the close-ups and wide shots. (01:43:20)
Continuity mistake: When Gandalf and Pippin walk into the hall where Denethor is sitting, the back of Gandalf's cloak is clean and white. After Pippin offers his services to Denethor, Gandalf walks out on Denethor and when he turns around and starts to leave, the bottom of Gandalf's cloak is much dirtier. (00:33:55)
Continuity mistake: Smeagol walks into the cave as his voice-over says, "They called us murderer." He coughs, and "gollum, gollum" comes out. In the 1st wide shot as he's clutching himself, Smeagol's fingernails are very thick, long and stubby. In the 2nd, a close-up of his hand, it reveals the Ring in his palm and his fingernails are perfectly normal and flat with dirt underneath. In the 3rd, a wide shot, his hand is open and the fingernails are very thick, long and stubby again. The 1st and 3rd shots are one sequence that was split to add the close-up in the middle. (00:04:50)
Continuity mistake: When Eowyn and Merry are talking while they are resting on the ride to Gondor, Eowyn's hair goes from tucked into her shirt to a few pieces untucked and then back to all her hair tucked in. (Extended Edition). (00:10:30)
Continuity mistake: As Legolas climbs up, swings from and stands on the Mûmak, the shirt that is worn under his green topcoat is seen at the slits on his sides in most shots. The color of that shirt at the slits varies between the normal silvery color as the rest of his shirt in some shots and an odd brown/green color in other shots. (01:12:40)
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)
Continuity mistake: When Deagol first finds the ring and is cleaning it off, the fingertips of his left hand become wet with mud. Seconds later, when he and Smeagol are grappling, those same fingertips drag across Smeagol's face-yet it is not even smudged. (00:02:30)
Continuity mistake: When at the Black Gate, the armies of men are surrounded by Orcs, then after Aragorn's "For Frodo" line, they charge across the screen from left to right. When they are running, in a shot where Gandalf is seen on the very right of the screen and 2 Warriors of Rohan with axes are in the front of the shot, you can see through some gaps and there are no Orcs, just an open field. Thousands of Orcs just disappeared. (02:36:55)
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)
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)
Continuity mistake: When Sam withdraws Sting from Shelob's eye, the sword is covered in eye gloop and he is holding Sting in his left hand. The shot switches further out and the gloop is gone and Sting has moved to his right hand. (01:51:10)
Continuity mistake: After Smeagol kills Deagol, Smeagol opens up Deagol's fist to claim the Ring. In the first shot, Smeagol leans over Deagol, then Smeagol's right hand holds Deagol's wrist and Smeagol's left hand opens Deagol's fingers. Yet in the close-up, now Smeagol's left hand hold's Deagol's wrist and Smeagol's right hand opens Deagol's fingers to reveal the Ring. (00:04:20)
Continuity mistake: While Eowyn is with dying Theoden, after he says, "my body is broken" there is a black smudge over Eowyn's right eye in the next three shots, whereas it is not in the previous or following shots. (02:15:00)
Continuity mistake: When the Witch King attacks Theoden and Eowyn fights him, the Witch King's helmet changes between shots. The gap at the bottom where the chin should be varies in width. In some shots the gap is small, nearly non-existent, while in other shots the gap is rather large.
Continuity mistake: When the front hatch of the Orc's siege tower lands on the stone wall, smashing some points, in the next side shot the wall and its points differ. For example, when the door lands the nearest unsmashed point actually has a broken tip, but is the next side shot the tip is whole and pointy. (02:04:40)
Continuity mistake: When Pippin takes the palantir out of the water and Gandalf takes it from him, in several consecutive shots of Pippin, the burnt bark in the water changes to sticks, then back to bark again. (00:11:30)
Continuity mistake: At Dunharrow, after sending Merry off to the smithy, in the wide shot Éowyn speaks with Éomer outside the tent and there is a standing torch behind her. Yet in the next shot Éowyn says, "Why should Merry be left behind, he has as much cause to go to war..." and as Éomer moves his head the visible torch now stands up against the tent pole. In the next close-up another change behind her, to her left. (01:14:20)
Continuity mistake: At Cirith Ungol, the white paint stripes on Gorbag's face change position, thickness and whiteness in the shots while in the tower and when he falls downstairs. (02:18:35 - 02:19:20)
Continuity mistake: Just before and after Sam yells, "Frodo get down. Hide!" the sores at Frodo's neck caused by the Ring's burden are visible. Frodo then falls to the ground after seeing the Eye and the sore on the right side of his neck is seen again, but completely different. The sores change many times in consecutive shots. (02:29:00)
Continuity mistake: At Minas Tirith, Gandalf says, "Peregrin Took, my lad, there is a task now to be done," then we see him walk through a narrow passageway, exit and walk past crates, rope, etc. In the next shot as Pip walks past the same things, regardless that he is shorter than Gandalf, the crates, rope, etc. are positioned differently now. (00:43:45)
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