Continuity mistake: The screen that Shmi Skywalker holds in the podrace changes shape between shots. (00:58:45 - 01:00:35)
Continuity mistake: During the pod-race, as the racers pass the start/finish line between laps, we see a view of R2, C3PO and Anakin's friends. R2 turns his head to watch the pods go by and it raises up about an inch and a half on one side, then seems to be stuck, the view changes and R2's head is swivelling fine, then we get another view of the wonky lid. (01:00:25)
Revealing mistake: During the second lap of the Podrace, the announcer says, "Skywalker's spinning out of control" and there's a shot of the audience. After Anakin has won the race, the same shot is used again. This can be seen, for example, from that the people on the steps make the exact same movements in each shot. (01:01:50 - 01:06:50)
Continuity mistake: During the Podrace, the announcer says, "Skywalker's been forced onto he service ramp," and the people standing behind the gate begin to run away. At the end of the shot, they are still behind the gate, but in the next shot, all of them have moved away from it. (01:03:30)
Continuity mistake: During the podrace, Anakin is in front of Sebulba and has him on his tail. One view looking towards Anakin you can see Sebulba's pod in the background, but the driver's seat is empty. (01:04:10)
Audio problem: After Anakin has won the Podrace, he yells, "Mum, I did it! Yeah!", but the words don't quite fit his actual lip movement. (01:07:00)
Continuity mistake: When Anakin's mother kisses him after the Podrace, her hands change position between shots twice. (01:07:25)
Continuity mistake: When Qui-Gon delivers the hyperdrive, the way he holds the reins of the eopie he's riding changes between the first two shots. (01:08:25)
Continuity mistake: When Anakin says goodbye to his mother, his shirt collar keeps moving up and down his neck between shots. The easiest way to see this is to watch his necklace, which is more covered up by his shirt in some shots than others. (01:11:45)
Continuity mistake: Before Anakin says goodbye to his mother, she is standing in sunlight next to the hut. As Anakin runs back, she is standing in shadow. When he reaches her, the area is covered by sunlight again. (01:11:50)
Continuity mistake: After Darth Maul sits down in his speeder, the probe droid flies past him, but in the previous shot, it was nowhere to be seen. It should have been visible, because of its position and the direction it was coming from. (01:13:35)
Audio problem: When Anakin and Qui-Gon are running to Amidala's ship, Anakin says, "Qui-Gon sir, wait, I'm tired" but his lips hardly move when he says this. (01:13:35)
Continuity mistake: When Qui-Gon is fighting Darth Maul on Tatooine, Obi-Wan sits down in the cockpit of Amidala's starship. As the shot ends, his hand is up by the top of Ric Olié's (the pilot) seat. In the beginning of the next shot, his hand is down by his side, and Anakin's hand has suddenly appeared on top of the seat. (01:14:00)
Continuity mistake: When Captain Tarpals gives Jar Jar a zap with his power pole, the fish and the appearance, size and position of some of the bubble building outside the membrane change between shots. (01:14:05)
Continuity mistake: When Anakin is packing his backpack while speaking to C3PO, there is a toy on his bed like a Naboo fighter. In the next shot, it changes place and orientation. (01:14:30)
Continuity mistake: When Darth Maul is fighting with Qui-Gon, only one blade of his lightsaber is on and on the other side there is just a flat end, with no hole. When he fights with Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon in the palace, there is now a hole at both ends. (01:17:25)
Revealing mistake: After everyone leaves Tatooine after the short stay they land on Coruscant in the middle of busy air traffic. Unfortunately, the ship that they fly in (the Nubian), with its incredibly shiny and mirror-like appearance does not reflect the bustling traffic above, nor the people walking out of it. It only seems to reflect the basic landscape. (01:17:35)
Continuity mistake: When Palpatine and Queen Amidala are conversing in his office (when Palpatine refers to Valorum having 'very little real power') his outfit switches from a green breasted cloak with a blue collar area to a green breasted cloak and dark green collar. It switches back after one shot. (01:23:10)
Continuity mistake: When the Queen in leaving Coruscant, as Qui-Gon says, "Your majesty", Captain Panaka is walking towards him. In the next shot, Panaka is closer to him, and standing. (01:32:30)
Continuity mistake: When the Queen's starship is approaching Naboo after leaving Coruscant, Ric Olié says, "Those are the forward stabilizers." In the next shot, Anakin's head is reaching higher over the back of his seat than it was in the previous shot. (01:33:30)
Chosen answer: According to "Inside the Worlds of Star Wars: Episode I" by Kristin Lund, they are "laser doors which lock into position in response to potentially lethal power outputs that occur intermittently during plasma activation process" (the fight takes place in a plasma energy processing plant). There are six laser doors in deference to an ancient Naboo legend in which Chaos is held back by six inpentrable gates. As you say though, they're really just a plot device to add dramatic tension to the duel!
Sierra1 ★