Continuity mistake: When Violet launch the elf head at the train switching device, the elf head lands at least three feet away from the train tracks. When it cuts the elf head is lying right next to the tracks. (00:26:05)
Continuity mistake: While the Baudelaire orphans are trapped in the car, Violet makes the elf head spring forward to catch the track switcher. When she makes her successful attempt, the rope wraps around the handle only once, and the rope does not have the momentum to swing around again. But in the shot as the handle is getting pulled, the rope is wrapped around twice, and moved over a little bit. (00:26:20)
Continuity mistake: After Violet has managed to hit the track shifter with the elf tied on the rope, they begin pulling the rope. It cuts to a shot where we can see the entire rope attached to the shifter with a knot tied in the middle of the rope. When the camera zooms in on the train, in the shot before Count Olaf begin to laugh, the rope is visible and stretched out but the knot is gone. (00:26:25)
Continuity mistake: When the train is passing by the car Violet and Klaus are looking at it and smiling. When it cuts to Sunny clapping Violet and Klaus are suddenly facing each other. (00:26:55)
Continuity mistake: When the train is passing the car we get a shot from behind the car and we can see the car is wiggling. When it cuts the car has suddenly stopped to wiggle. (00:27:00)
Continuity mistake: When the train is passing right in front of the car the train signal to the right of the screen is on with a red light. When it cuts the light is suddenly off. It would never have been turned off until the last car of the train had passed. (00:27:00)
Continuity mistake: After the Baudelaire's almost were killed by the train while stuck in Count Olaf's car, Mr. Poe moves them over to his car to take them away. Then Count Olaf wants to talk to them and leans against the open car window with his right arm only. When it cuts he has suddenly both arms placed on the car. (00:27:50)
Continuity mistake: When Mr. Poe and the Baudelaires arrive at Uncle Monty's he has his snake twirled around his arm as he reach out to shake Violet's hand. When it cuts the way the snake is twirled around his arm has changed. (00:29:00)
Continuity mistake: When the Baudelaires arrive at Uncle Monty's and Monty says "We have to pack all the equipment" he has a snake whose head is over his shoulder. As Monty close the door it cuts and the snake's head is suddenly hanging down by his waist. (00:29:50)
Continuity mistake: When they enter Monty's reptile room the first time there is a lizard and two turtles walking on the floor. When it cuts the creatures have totally changed position. (00:30:05)
Continuity mistake: When Uncle Monty is telling about the Incredible Deadly Viper and he says "My assistant Gustav and I may be the only people who ever seen it", as he stops by the cage he has his hands up. When it cuts his arms are hanging down. (00:31:00)
Continuity mistake: When Violet and Klaus are about to close the door in front of Stephano he rams a knife in to the door, and he even twist the knife a bit. This should at least make a mark. Later when Stephano asks if the kids can help him with his bags Violet turns around facing Uncle Monty. Now we can see the door and there is no mark where Stephano rammed the knife in to. (00:36:10 - 00:37:30)
Continuity mistake: As Uncle Monty comes and greets Stephano, Stephano says "Oops, you caught me being a mentor" while bowing down and lowering his arm. When it cuts from behind Stephano he is still standing and lowering his arm again without bowing. (00:36:25)
Continuity mistake: When Stephano first arrives it is fairly dark outside. But when Stephano runs back into the Reptile Room and says he really looked forward to the milking it is fairly light through the window. (00:38:30)
Continuity mistake: When the snake with the message "Impostor" written on it twirls around Uncle Monty's wrist, it's perfectly aligned on his wrist - its tail is by Monty's wrist and the head is pointing up his arm. When it cuts, the head is now by the wrist and the tail is pointing up the arm. (00:39:05)
Continuity mistake: After Uncle Morty, Klaus and Violet agrees that Stephano is an impostor and Stephano returns we see him lifting his arm with the hook on up. When it cuts we can see his arm is suddenly lowered. (00:40:50)
Continuity mistake: After the death of Uncle Monty, Stephano says "I do feel somewhat responsible for this tragedy". At the same time you can see a policeman carrying a box passing Violet in the background. When it cuts he passes her again. (00:42:40)
Continuity mistake: When Mr. Poe is bringing the kids back from Monty, it cuts to a close-up shot inside the car of his hands on each side of the steering wheel. In the next shot his left hand is suddenly on top of the steering wheel. (00:45:20)
Continuity mistake: When Aunt Josephine hands over the photo album to Violet, it is open to a page with a colored picture. As Violet grabs the album, that picture is gone - it's suddenly open on a different page. (00:48:45)
Continuity mistake: When Aunt Josephine hands over the photo album to Violet she hands it over with one hand. When it cuts she is holding it with both hands. (00:48:45)
Answer: A magnifying glass concentrates all the light that goes through it at its focal point, and it is this focal point that needs to be placed on the object which one wants to set on fire. The distance of the focal point to the lens depends on the magnifying glass characteristics, and it is more than likely that Count Olaf chose a glass where the focal point would be situated exactly "37 blocks" away from his house, that is, at the Baudelaire's mansion. When trying to set on fire an object much, much closer, the glass would concentrate much, much less energy, and would only be able to set on fire easily burnt objects, such as thin paper.
AnthonyA