Movie mistakes are great. Not just because it’s fun to look for them like little Easter eggs. But also because they remind us that even the most impressive productions come from human hands. Especially for aspiring filmmakers, it’s nice to see little mishaps happen, even under the guidance of great filmmakers. For example with Peter Jackson! He succeeded in what was always considered impossible: filming JRR Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” books. For a long time, the books were considered non-filmable.
Jackson accepted the challenge and his risk paid off. The trilogy enjoys classic status with many viewers. She was nominated for a total of thirty Oscars, of which she won seventeen. The greatest success was the Oscar in the category “Best Picture”, which won “Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”.
Despite multiple awards, the fantasy trilogy is not without movie flaws. There are scenes in the movie where you can see tire tracks in the sand. It is more than unlikely that there are any cars in Middle-earth! Gandalf not only appears to be a gifted magician, but also has self-healing powers. He receives some serious head wounds while fighting Saruman. Moments later, they are nowhere to be seen. In another scene, Frodo puts the ring on his middle finger, only to have it reappear a moment later on his ring finger.
These are all little things that make you smile. They do not destroy the effect of the scene in question. However, there is one movie flaw that ruins a truly meaningful moment. At least if you interpret it the way some fans do!
Risen from the dead?
At the end of the first part there is an emotional scene: Aragorn defeats the murderer Boromir. He then sprints toward a dying friend – past a sea of Uruk-hai corpses. Boromir lies on the ground with an arrow in his chest. Aragorn bends over to exchange a few last words and gestures of respect.
A film error crept into this scene. When Aragorn runs past the dead Uruk-hais, one of the extras will raise his head. Some viewers then assumed that the fighter on the ground was just playing dead. Was he planning an ambush? We hope not! With the thought in the back of his mind that Aragorn could be ambushed from behind at any moment, the moment between him and Boromir loses its intimacy. It’s better to assume that one of the extras couldn’t keep still, or to completely overlook the mistake on first viewing.
Here you can revisit the corresponding moment (and at minute 0:06 the corresponding error occurs):