The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Continuity mistake: At Bag End, the table opposite the fireplace with the two oval portraits changes in the variety and arrangement of all the objects on it, seen in shots that are supposed to take place right after each other. In the first shot, when Bilbo packs and then takes his bag off the table, we see what is on the table. The second shot, when Gandalf stands to confront Bilbo to leave the Ring, the table is seen to his right and we see what is on the table. The third shot, when Gandalf sits by the fireplace and waits for Frodo to come back from the party, the table is to his left and again we see what is on the table. The objects differ in every shot. (00:26:20 - 00:30:15)

Super Grover

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring mistake picture

Continuity mistake: At Balin's Tomb, in two shots Pippin backs up towards the stone well, and when the skeletal head falls into the well we see a part of the sticks behind the pail, lying on the well. In the shot from above as the body falls in, and in the close-up of the chain and pail falling in, the sticks aren't there. In the next shots of the stone well we see the sticks lying there. (00:26:25)

Super Grover

Continuity mistake: When Gandalf comes to Minas Tirith, the river is noticeably closer to the city than it is in "Return of the King." (00:26:25)

Continuity mistake: At Bag End while speaking with Gandalf, Bilbo packs his bag and he puts his pipe into it. The mouthpiece goes into the bag with the bowl part sticking out of the bag. Yet, when Gandalf asks, "Is that so hard?" the mouthpiece is now sticking out of the bag and the bowl part is in the bag. (00:26:35)

Super Grover

Continuity mistake: In the Chamber of Mazarbul, with Balin's Tomb, Pippin backs up towards the well, we see the pail and there is a thick bunch of chain hanging out of it. In the next shot of Pippin as he backs up and turns, the pail now has one line of chain hanging out of it. Then Pippin touches the quiver of the arrow, and in the first shot of the head falling back into the well the pail yet again has a thick bunch of chain hanging out of it. Then in the next shot of Pippin turning around towards Gandalf the pail once again has the one line of chain hanging out of it. (00:26:45)

Super Grover

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring mistake picture

Continuity mistake: Pippin causes the skeletal body to fall into the well at Balin's Tomb. When the head falls in, Pippin spins around and behind him we see the body start to fall in and the pail is right next to the body. In the close-up shot of the body falling into the well the pail is not on the well. Then in the next few shots the pail is yet again sitting on the stone well showing the chain and pail falling into the well. (00:26:50)

Super Grover

Continuity mistake: At the well near Balin's Tomb there is a shot from above and it shows the body falling along with some chain, but some chain still remains on top. In the next close-up of the chain there is much more chain sitting on top of the well that has yet to fall in. The amount and position of the chain sitting on the well in these two shots differ greatly. Also in the second shot from inside the well looking up a good amount of pail should be seen over the ledge of the well, but it is not. (00:26:55)

Super Grover

Continuity mistake: When Boromir goes to the door of Balin's Tomb in the mines you can see Aragorn in the background putting his torch on the ground, then when it switches to Aragorn and the others he puts the torch down again. (00:27:05)

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring mistake picture

Continuity mistake: In Balin's tomb, just before the Orcs break in and the fight begins, watch the Hobbits behind Gandalf. In the front view, they are huddled together in close proximity. When the shot changes to the rear view, you can only see two Hobbits (Pippin and Sam) behind Gandalf because they are much more spaced out. When the camera comes back to the front view, they are close together again. (00:27:24)

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring mistake picture

Continuity mistake: When Gimli jumps up on Balin's tomb we see a close up and his face is visible, with his axes either side. From behind, his axes are crossed in front of him, and should be practically covering his face. (00:27:35)

Continuity mistake: The braids over Legolas' ears on his scalp change drastically in position, shape, amount and how it is braided, as well as the amount of his side hair that is swept up into the back braid, in consecutive scenes or shots. It's impossible for him to change his hair between the following shots. At Balin's Tomb, after Pippin's carelessness, when Legolas turns around with Aragorn to look at the door. When he aims his arrow at the door, waiting for Orcs. When he lets loose the last arrow into the Troll's mouth. After leaving the chamber, when Gandalf says, "A Balrog of Morgoth." When he leaps across the broken stairs. Catching Aragorn after Aragorn drops from the broken stairs. While he stands outside Moria, after losing Gandalf. (00:28:00 - 00:42:55)

Super Grover

Continuity mistake: In Bag End when Bilbo is about to leave, Gandalf leans forwards with his hand on the ceiling or doorway of the circular corridor and says, "Bilbo, the Ring is still in your pocket," then we see Bilbo for ten seconds or so and as he holds the Ring in his hand, Gandalf repeats the motion, in close up. (00:28:35)

Continuity mistake: The Fellowship wait for the Orcs and Troll to break through the Chamber of Mazarbulat's door (with Balin's Tomb). In the wide close-up shot of the door we see the two large axes lying across the top of the door handles, and two spears leaning against the doors. Gimli says "There is one Dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath" and we see the doors in the background with no spears leaning on them. In the close-up again the spears are there. In the next extreme close-up the large axes' handles are lying across the doors behind one another. There is yet another extreme close-up and now the large axes' handles are lying across the doors on top of each other. In the next wide shot the Orcs break through the doors and the left door starts to crookedly come down. Then in the next shot the doors are just now being broken through, only this time the left door comes straight down. (00:28:40)

Super Grover

Continuity mistake: The Fellowship stand at the ready at Balin's Tomb, looking towards the door that is barred with the axes. There are also two spears, but nothing else is leaning on the two doors. In the shot right after Gimli says, "Let them come," this shot shows them all from behind. As Legolas and Aragorn step away from each other, the door is seen and leaning on the door to the left is Boromir's shield, who is standing to the left of the screen minus a shield. Boromir does not move. In the next shot of the door the shield isn't there and in the next shot of Boromir, he's holding his shield. (00:28:40)

Super Grover

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring mistake picture

Continuity mistake: When the invisible Bilbo returns to Bag End he chats with Gandalf, then leaves dropping the Ring on the floor near the door. In the first shot of it after he's left, the Ring is touching a crack in the tile. When he gets closer, the Ring's moved away from it. (00:28:50)

Continuity mistake: The Troll hasn't even entered the doorway yet, and both Sam and Aragorn look way up, as if the Troll were standing right in front of them already, but the Troll is only visible more in the distance, through the door. Since the Troll is still only in the doorway for them to see, the eye angle should still be towards the doorway, not up over them. Then when the Troll smashes through the doorway, and walks towards Sam, in the same shot as earlier, Sam looks way up at the Troll, but this time the eye angle is correct. (00:29:35)

Super Grover

Continuity mistake: When the Troll breaks through the doorway at Balin's Tomb Legolas lets loose an arrow at his right shoulder. As the Troll stomps towards Sam the arrow is seen, then disappears, then seen again. When the Troll lifts up his mace the arrow is not seen, but when the mace is at the Troll's shoulder the arrow is there and the chain goes right through the arrow. As he tries to slam the mace down onto Sam the chain goes right through the arrow again. As Sam dives between the Troll's legs the arrow disappears and then reappears again. (00:29:40)

Super Grover

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring mistake picture

Continuity mistake: After Sam dives between the Troll's legs and tries to crawl away, Aragorn and Boromir pull the chain that's around the Troll's neck to get him away from Sam. In the next two shots of Sam, his left wrist has an ace bandage wrapped around it - it's at his white shirt cuff. Notice the bar on his palm between his thumb and index finger. He did not have the bandage in earlier shots, nor does he have it in later shots. (00:29:50)

Super Grover

Continuity mistake: After Sam dives between the Troll's legs and tries to crawl away, in the first shot the Troll lifts his leg and in the second shot he's about to step on Sam, who is in the middle of the floor. Yet in the very next shot Sam is already at the wall raising his left arm and wincing at the giant foot coming down on him. (00:29:50)

Super Grover

Continuity mistake: At Balin's Tomb, in the first shot Boromir's right wrist is caught up on the Troll's chain and he's holding his shield with his left hand. In the second shot, the Troll flings Boromir across towards the wall, and as Boromir is flying across, he is not holding his shield. In this next shot, as soon as Boromir hits the wall, he has the shield in his left hand again. (00:30:00)

Super Grover

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Other mistake: When the hobbits are hiding under the tree trunk from the Ringwraith in the beginning, you can see space to the left and right of the tree above them. Logically when the Ringwraith walks past the tree you would see it on the right side of the tree first, then on the left, but you don't - it looks like it walks out of the tree instead of behind it. [Confirmed on the commentaries - Elijah Wood asks his fellow actors if anyone spotted the mistake: 'It kind of magically comes out of the tree'. Sean Astin: 'You mean it doesn't pass from the other side?' Wood: 'No, it comes out from the centre.'] (00:51:40)

More mistakes in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Aragorn: Gentlemen! We do not stop 'til nightfall.
Pippin: But what about breakfast?
Aragorn: You've already had it.
Pippin: We've had one, yes. But what about second breakfast?
[Aragorn stares at him, then walks off.]
Merry: Don't think he knows about second breakfast, Pip.
Pippin: What about elevenses? Luncheon? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper? He knows about them, doesn't he?
Merry: I wouldn't count on it.

More quotes from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
More trivia for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Question: Since Gandalf knew how dangerous the ring was, why did he give it to Frodo and tell him that he must destroy the ring? It would make more sense to either do it himself or find someone else to do it.

Answer: The temptation of the Ring is directly proportional to the power and ambition of the bearer. To someone like Gandalf - a mighty wizard who wants to save the world - the temptation would, over time, prove to be too much, and he's realistic enough to understand that about himself. With an ordinary hobbit who only wants a nice meal and some peace and quiet, the Ring has a lot less to work with.

Answer: Gandalf can't take the ring because he would be tempted to use it, and it would ultimately corrupt him. This is true for nearly anyone who has it for any length of time, except hobbits for some unknown reason. Gandalf recognized this in Bilbo, and later in Frodo.

More questions & answers from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

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