The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Deliberate mistake: In the Extended Edition, the location of the Tomb of the Stewards is shown to be behind the city of Minis Tirith, at the cemetery on the mountainside, accessible via a long bridge. Flaming Denethor later runs to the far prow of the city, leaps off and plummets. The distance between the two areas makes it is obviously entirely impossible for someone, even adrenaline charged Denethor, to run this distance while his oiled flesh burns. Admitted on the commentary that it's poetic license, due to director Peter Jackson's long awaited vision for this dramatic shot. (00:13:15 - 00:30:50)

Super Grover

Deliberate mistake: When Théoden and the Rohirrim ride out of camp, as Éomer shouts, "Form up! Move out!" and in the following close-up when Théoden shouts, "Ride! Ride now for Gondor!" please note that Théoden's sheath is at his left side and Éomer's strap hangs down his left shoulder to his right side - whereas normally they are the opposite way. Both shots are flipped for direction continuity. (01:49:30)

Super Grover

Deliberate mistake: After Théoden shouts, "Make safe this city!" in the flipped close-up of Éomer, as he reacts to the approaching Mûmakil, his sheath and helmet straps are both noticeably backwards. (00:31:40)

Super Grover

Deliberate mistake: Just after we hear Gandalf shout, "Get the women and children out! Get them out! Retreat!" there is a flipped shot of many soldiers with their swords at their right side, as some run through the gate being held open by others. (00:22:40)

Super Grover

Deliberate mistake: After entering the Tower of Cirith Ungol, Sam runs down a passageway and looks up and in the next shot he starts to run up the stairs. These two shots are flipped as things on his body are backwards. (02:20:10)

Super Grover

Deliberate mistake: Just after Gandalf shouts offscreen, "Fight! Fight to the last man! Fight for your lives!" there is a flipped close-up of Gandalf turning, when he hears Pippin shout, "Gandalf!" and his sword is at his right side, the opposite of the norm. (00:23:25)

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

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

Deliberate mistake: When Gandalf and Pippin quickly ride to the aid of Faramir and his men, who flee the Orcs at Osgiliath, in the first close-up of Gandalf and the Halfling, the wizard's silver broach is noticeably backwards - the shot is flipped for direction continuity. (01:12:40)

Super Grover

Deliberate mistake: After Frodo puts on the Ring at Mount Doom, when the Nazgûl fly away from the Black Gate, the next close-up of Gandalf's reaction is actually a flipped shot - the wizard's smudges are on the opposite side of his face.

Super Grover

Deliberate mistake: During the battle between the Rohirrim and Orcs, when Théoden shouts, "Bring it down…Bring it down!" there is a close-up of Gamling as he releases the arrow with his bow held high, but next shot he is behind Théoden holding his sword up. (00:34:40)

Super Grover

Deliberate mistake: Midst the Rohirrim battle with the Orcs, Théoden shouts, "Make safe this city." Two shots later, in the flipped close-up of Théoden as he hears the Haradrim on Mûmakil, his helmet's chinstrap buckle is on his left (viewer's right), whereas it is normally on his right. (00:31:30)

Super Grover

Deliberate mistake: After Théoden shouts, "Rally to me!" when the Nazgûl flies towards the King, in Théoden's close-up the buckle on his helmet's chinstrap is on his left, instead of the usual right. (00:37:45)

Super Grover

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

Deliberate mistake: On the fields of Pelennor, after the great battle, before Pippin and Merry meet again, Pippin's Lorien brooch points to his right. As Pippin is walking and looking around, his brooch is pointing to his left. When Pippin is next to Merry, the leaf is pointing to his right again. Obviously the second shot is flipped. (02:16:30)

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

Deliberate mistake: Just before Gandalf approaches the archers and shouts, "Not at the towers! Aim for the Trolls! Kill the Trolls!" in the previous close-up and wideshot of just the archers, their quivers are on their right, instead of the left side of their hips as usual. (02:04:30)

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: While Faramir leads the Gondorian soldiers as they ride down the path in Minas Tirith, in the wideshot just prior to when Gandalf shouts, "Faramir!" they pass particularly distinctive buildings and a statue - this wideshot is flipped, the swords are at the soldiers' right sides. Then about ten shots later, they pass the same buildings and statue as they ride towards the front gate. (01:29:40)

Super Grover

Deliberate mistake: Just before Frodo and Sam fall to the ground on the slopes of Mount Doom, there is a close-up of Sam's feet, then a shot of Frodo and Sam climbing up the rocky surface. This shot is obviously flipped, as Sting is at Sam's left side normally. (02:31:00)

Super Grover

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

Continuity mistake: In the second half of the film, Frodo has a scar on his lower right cheek, close to his chin. Many times throughout the rest of the film the scar changes position and size on his right cheek. It also appears on his left cheek in flipped shots (most obviously on the slopes of Mount Doom when Sam is cradling his head). (02:31:05 - 02:34:00)

More mistakes in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

[After Legolas single-handedly takes out an Oliphant and its drivers.]
Gimli: That still only counts as one.

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

Trivia: When Gandalf is talking about the gathering of the armies of Sauron, the next shot shows the Corsairs on a ship. Walking from right to left is Peter Jackson in a cameo as a Corsair pirate. In the extended version he is pierced in the chest by Legolas' arrow and dramatically dies. (00:38:30)

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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