Revealing mistake: In the scene where Sgt Howie hits McGregor (who is dressed as Punch) with a candlestick, watch closely and you can see that the blow from Howie is aimed into the padded section on the back of the punch costume, rather than at the back of McGregor's head.
Revealing mistake: Edward Woodward goes to visit Christopher Lee at the big house. In the grounds, a group of pregnant women are performing a pagan ritual involving jumping over a small bonfire. Woodward the Christian puritan looks out of Lee's window and sees this, and exclaims indignantly: "Those young women are NAKED!". In fact, even on a 14-inch TV screen you can see that they are wearing fleshtone body-stockings.
Revealing mistake: When Willow is dancing nude, right after Howie puts his hands on the wall, there is a shot of Willow slapping her butt, where she swings her head back and forth, and the face of the body double can be seen.
Revealing mistake: Sergeant Howie spots the creepy candle and knocks it to the floor. He falls to the floor himself and extinguishes the flaming thumb, but reaches it through a visible editing job; some frames are missing.
Answer: He would likely die from the heat or smoke inhalation long before the wood would deteriorate enough for him to fall out. The film also makes a point to show that Howie has given up trying to fight the villagers and has accepted his fate, so even if he could have forced his way out he no longer had the will to do so.
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