Continuity mistake: Before Merry asks, "What are you doing?" in this wide shot Pippin heads towards Gandalf and walks in the very narrow area between the center cots and the cots against the walls. Yet, when Aragorn walks in and also in the close-up as the palantir rolls out of Aragorn's hand, the area between the cots has significantly widened from the original width, note the floor pattern, for the obvious dramatic shot! (00:19:40 - 00:21:25)
Continuity mistake: At the Grey Havens, Cirdan the Shipwright stands behind Elrond, Celeborn and Galadriel. There are five mooring pilings on the dock near them. 1st shot, Cirdan stands to the right of the second piling (on the left). 2nd shot, he stands in front of the second piling. 3rd shot, he stands to the right of the second piling again. 4th shot, Cirdan now stands behind the second mooring piling. This has nothing to do with camera angles. (03:04:20)
Continuity mistake: After Aragorn's dream, the soldier delivers a message from Theoden, while standing at the doorway of Aragorn's tent and there are long ties hanging from the grommets on one side of the flaps. Yet, in the next exterior shots when Aragorn leaves, there are no ties in the grommets. (01:15:30)
Continuity mistake: As Gollum steals the lembas while Sam and Frodo are sleeping, Sam's sword lies under him, with the hilt near his face and his right arm over it. However when Sam opens his eyes the sword now lies near him. (01:02:00)
Continuity mistake: When Aragorn takes the palantir from Pippin and grips it, he leans back and Legolas starts to put his hands on Aragorn's shoulders. In the next side shot it's the same actions again. (00:21:25)
Continuity mistake: In the charge of the Rohirrim if you look in the background all the horsemen are ordered and are charging in formation, much like they were before the charge. However, in the overhead shots there are no separate groups, all the horses are charging in one large group together.
Continuity mistake: When Pippin steals the palantir, Gandalf's right hand grasps the sword below the hilt's cross-guard in all of the close-ups. However, in the wide shots Gandalf's hand grasps the grip of the sword above the hilt's cross-guard. The bed sheets differ between the shots as well. (00:20:00)
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)
Continuity mistake: When Sam is heading to the top of the Tower of Cirith Ungol to rescue Frodo, there is a shot of four Orcs and Uruks coming down at the same time. After Sam growls echo loudly, the next shot shows an Uruk turning and starting to run back up. When they attack Sam, there are only three. The fourth one, who is clearly not Gorbag, could not have run into the tower, because when Sam stabs Gorbag at the top of the tower, the light of Sting goes out, indicating there are no more Orcs in the vicinity. (On the Extended DVD, it is the Uruk Shagrat who escapes and hides, as he holds Frodo's mithril shirt, while going down the tower when Sam heads up.) (02:20:30)
Continuity mistake: When Gandalf and Pippin reach Minas Tirith, Gandalf's cloak is fairly clean. As they ride up through all of the gates of Minas Tirith, the bottom of Gandalf's white cloak is filthy, yet when they reach the top Gandalf's cloak is much cleaner again. During their ride glimpses of the stirrups are visible. (00:32:00 - 00:33:00)
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: As Sam walks in through the doorway of the Tower of Cirith Ungol there are bodies scattered all over the floor of the entryway in the close-up. However in the next overhead wide shot, there are no bodies in the entryway behind Sam. (02:20:00)
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)
Continuity mistake: As Gollum says, "Too risky. Too risky. Thieves... Musn't wake them," in the two close-ups Frodo and Sam sleep with their backs against a wide rock wall and a single tree between them near Sam's head. However, when Gollum says, "Musn't ruin it now..." and after Sam yells, "You treacherous little toad!" in the next close-up and wide shot of the area, it is very different than in the first two shots. (00:15:10 - 00:17:45)
Continuity mistake: When Aragorn stares at the road to the Dimholt, as the shot zooms in, the landscape differs in this shot compared to when Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli ride into the door under the mountain. (01:36:00 - 01:44:50)
Continuity mistake: After Éowyn stabs the Witch King, in the two wideshots as he withers away, Merry has his head turned to his left as he watches. However, in Merry's close-ups his body is turned the other way and his head is turned to his right, as he watches the Witch King disappear. (00:40:30)
Continuity mistake: In the scene where the Witch King is choking Eowyn, saying, "Die now," you can plainly see that Eowyn's thick helmet strap is securely underneath her chin. It is drawn tight. In the shot where she claims, "I am no man," and whips off her helmet, in the close-up the strap is gone. (02:11:35)
Continuity mistake: After falling from Sam's shoulders, Gollum attacks Frodo while they roll around on the ground and Frodo's shirt is messy and untucked. However, while Gollum holds his head from the bruise of Sam's rock, in the side shot Frodo lies on the ground coughing and Frodo's shirt is neatly tucked into his pants. (02:37:50)
Continuity mistake: When Skully, the Orc lieutenant, shouts, "Come on, you sea rats. Get off your ships," the Corsair ship docks and the six mooring pilings are on top of the raised edge of the dock. However, in the following shots all the pilings are located on the ground beside the raised edge. (00:39:30)
Continuity mistake: At Edoras, Gandalf and Pippin ride out on Shadowfax, as Merry runs up to the watchtower, followed by Aragorn, to watch them leave. The actual wood of the fence (height, direction of slant and amount in set) differs significantly (especially to Merry's left) in the shot facing Merry's back, as Aragorn reaches him, and the wide shots facing them. (Extended Edition) (00:36:15)
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