I'm not sure if this counts as minor, but it is something I have wondered about that is also relevant to the Books.

ME is supposed to be Europe. How, then, does Sam know of Taters? :confused:

The potato was a major crop in Ireland.

After being imported from the New World.

As was tobacco (aka pipeweed).

And, if we're including the Movies, Cherry tomatoes.

I suppose we must draw the conclusion that Middle Earth was actually in the Americas. :( What a terrible shame for us Europeans.

Yes, but there are umbrellas in the Shire, and I believe (unless I'm mistaken, which I could be) that umbrellas came post Columbian Exchange, or at least after it had already started. So fear not, ME still could be Europe (much the pity for those of us in North America, although the potato was actually from Peru.)

Maybe the Númenoreans with all their sailing ran into another continent that was the Americas? Or didn't Eärendil go on hugely long exploration voyages?

Maybe one of them found all these things, like pipeweed, tomatoes and potatoes, and brought them over to Middle-earth.

Maybe, just maybe, Middle-earth didn't really exist. :p

Perish the thought. Up till this point I thought you were only slightly touched in the head now I realize that it's a full blown malady in you.

Alas, what has become of poor, good Eomer, to think such falsities? :p

Hm... perhaps a "Location of Middle Earth" thread is in order. What I'm wondering is if there's any reference to potatoes in the Silm, before the Americas were even made. :eek: Certainly the Numenoreans could not have imported such finds, created only after the fall of their island.
*Starts thinking*

Okay, that was so off-topic. Still interesting, though.

I would advise a search on potatoes or tobacco or even coffee, as this issue has already been the subject of a number of threads (as has the "real world" location of Middle-earth).

Eomer what's wrong!?! Have you been forgetting to take your pills or has the stress of avoiding lynching been gettin to you that much :D .

Kath, careful! (I think you just challenged the rules)

But anyway, it appears obvious that I'm the weirdo here. Look: it's not like I'm particularly fond of the 'real world', just........o nevermind! Go back and speculate without me! :D

What are rules for but to be challenged? Nah I apologise Eomer - just don't tell anyone!

Back on topic though one thing that gets my attention every time is when Gandalf enters the Golden Hall and there is a shot of him walking towards Theoden, and it just really looks like he is wearing trainers.

I don't know if anyone else would consider this a mistake, but when Frodo first picks up the Ring Gandalf holds out the envelope and Frodo drops the Ring in. Well in less then three seconds Gandalf has the envelope sealed and the wax is dry and all ready for Frodo to hide. That has to be some sort of record.

Who says it was tobacco? ;)

How exciting! :D

When Gandalf and the others are entering the Golden Hall, Legolas is holding Gandalf's arm. In the next shot he isn't and a few seconds later, he's holding it again.

Billy Boyd pointed this out in the commentary. At Minas Tirith when you can see Gandalf smoking his pipe on the balcony, if you look behind him Pippin is in his bed. In a few seconds he is standing just behind Gandy. I wish I could get out of bed that quickly... ;)

Also Billy Boyd pointed out in the commentary that his Indiana Jones trick of getting the palantir was unscripted and he just asked if we could switch it with the pitcher, and "they just happened to have" a Hobbit scale of that pitcher. But look at the pitcher Pippin uses to pour Gandalf a glass of water in Minas Tirith. It's the same pitcher. That's why they had a Hobbit scale of it.

I guess Pippin and Gandalf decided they had already had such great times with the pitcher that they brought it with them from Edoras.

Here are a few things that irked me about LotR.

1) What happened to the elves at Helms Deep after Haldir died its like they all disappeared, not one mention of them after that. Not even a body, although I cant remember if there was one in the EE.

2) Their is the fact that they made Anduril so damn big that Aragorn could never wear it sheathed throughout the whole movie except when hes on a horse, and for the point when he becomes king, even then it looks ridiculously big.

3) The scene when the trio enter Rohan from their chase after the battle at Rauros. Aragorn asks "Legolas, what do your elf eye's see". He replies "The unit has turned NORTH EAST, they are taking the hobbits to Isengard." Legolas needs a compass. I thought Isengard was at the western most point of Rohan.

4) The most blatant scene of goofs is when Gandalf, Aragorn, et al enter Edoras to face Wormtongue. At points Legolas is helping Gandalf walk then the shot switches and they are totally seperate. At points Gandalf has his staff out at other points he is carrying it behind his cloak. It just shows that this scened took far too many shots to keep the flow more genuine.

I noticed how 1 or 2 of the dead orcs of Isengard on the floor (in the FOTR after Bormomir is killed) show quite a bit of movement even though they are meant to be long since slain!

In FOTR when the Hobbits are hiding from the Black Rider he just sort of pops up from behind the tree. In the top right hand corner of the shot there's a bit of sky which the rider should pass by, but he doesn't. He just comes from thin air.

I never noticed that before. But yeah, where did they all vanish to? Maybe they all got scared of the big bad Uruks and turned into rocks. :rolleyes:

I agree. Then there's the fact that he's supposed to be carrying Narsil/Anduril the whole freakin' time he's in the movies, since he pulls it out in Bree and his sword is only about a foot long and broken. At least it is in the books. Actually, all of Aragorn's swords are way too long to be sheathed comfortably at his side, I think. They all look like bastard swords or broadswords. No way you're going to sheathe those at your waist. Those go on your back (or better yet, have your page/donkey carry them. :D )

HOLY CRAP!!!! There's an instance where Legolas isn't Superelf?! He got something wrong?! I'm surprised PJ and Co. didn't do something about this in post-production. I mean, he's got impeccable fashion sense, he never gets filthy, he can shoot a fly off a Mûmak's arse from a league away, he can hold about 20 glasses of mead without any ill effects, he can do some weird vaulting thingy into a saddle, et cetera, et cetera, ad nauseam, why can't he get directions right?! Because we all know that OMFG Leggy is t3h r0xz0rz!!!1!!!!!11111!!! :rolleyes:

[/rant]

-LR.