
Can anyone tell me what was in the briefcase in Pulp Fiction? And what is the Band-Aid on the back of Marsellus's neck about? Is there a connection? You never see or hear anyone say what's in the case. Thanks!
- Hedy
- Hedy
This is a very commonly asked question. Who in the community can give the best answer?
If you don't remember the briefcase, check out the Hamburger scene video.
COMMENTS
soto_QT
Looney
Definition: McGuffin -noun
In film, a plot device that has no specific meaning or purpose other than to advance the story; any situation that motivates the action of a film either artificially or substantively; also written MacGuffin .
Etymology: Alfred Hitchcock's term, based on a story where this device was used in a story set on a Scottish train.
cwat
First and foremost the briefcase is a story tellers tool known as a "Mcguffin".
Definition: McGuffin -noun
In film, a plot device that has no specific meaning or purpose other than to advance the story; any situation that motivates the action of a film either artificially or substantively; also written MacGuffin .
Etymology: Alfred Hitchcock's term, based on a story where this device was used in a story set on a Scottish train.
With that in mind it is supposed to represent "The Devil's Deal" the idea of The thing that holds the most value to the person looking at it(everyone would see something different), and willing to kill/die or sacrifice everything you are and or have to possess it. It has a golden illumination because, whatever it is you hold in such high regards must be so illustrious and beautiful that it emits an almost heavenly glow. Remember your true heart's desire always looks so much brighter than how you view everyday wants.
The Combination being 666 (in my opinion) symbolizes the evil that we unleash (or unlock) by pushing past at any cost, what we know to be good right and true to obtain that which we hold in such high regards. If you think about it every time we inch our way over that moral line drawn in the sand it just makes it that much easier the next time. with that in mind we can never really posses our hearts desire, because as soon as we have it then we as a society look for the bigger better version, hence its unattainable but still we gave up our morals only to be left wanting more.
As for the band-aid well... Sometimes a band-aid is just a band-aid. I think people were reading more than was actually intended or thought of by QT, with his ability to make us question the underlying meaning of his films I think he would have had more center focus on the band-aid and left us with more questions, I mean come on the Ball-Gag had more center focus than it and I don't hear any hidden meaning about that. (Nor do I want to.) But the one thing I didn't hear mentioned was all the clocks during the movie were stopped (quirky trademark of the film) the time shown on most of them was 4:20, 2 were stopped at a different time.
profchaos33
genius66
simonjohn
simonjohn
simonjohn
moe39
besides the fact we love him and his fabulous movies.
GO STEELERS
darc_poet
Whats in the case is unimportant. Im glad that Quentin decided against using the diamonds from Reservoir Dogs in this movie. Mainly because the whole begining diner scene would make no sense because Tim Roth is the first thing you see in this movie, and he is british. Would have just been an ugly cluster fuck in my opinion. I have heard the soul theory, and it makes sense, but what is the point of trying to figure out something that isn't meant to be figured out. It could just as easily been the aliens from repo mans trunk, or whatever was in there. To me, whatever you want it to be, thats what it is.
Fokavius
The band-aid, even if served to hide Wallace's actor's scar, still does not by any means eliminate the possibility that it had been employed as a clue by Mr. QT, especially since it was removed in the scenes after Wallace had received the briefcase. Is it not more than possible that that very actor got the role in the first place because of his conveniently placed scar? After a soul has been removed from a person by making an incision into the back of his neck, and then re-introduced into the same person through the same incision, wouldn't it be neat to have an actor who actually has a cicatrice at that very part of his body? Gee, I think so.
But... are we really sure it is Marcelus's soul that is inside that briefcase?
Does it not make sense that Marcelus Wallace could have previously sold his own soul to the Devil, and then obtained Tony Rocky Horror's soul*** as a replacement thus effectively cheating the Alfa-cheater himself?
In which case, the divine intervention that Jules Winnfield claimed he experienced was actually sheer coincidence in which Vincent so believed and by which he lost his life.
Or did Tony Rocky Horror steal Marcelus Wallace's soul in order to blackmail him, but got what it was coming to him and got to spend the remainder of his days in a vegetative state?
In which case, the divine intervention was an act of God helping a man who was bringing a soul back to its proprietor.
Bratt and his gang in each case are likely to have been Tony's cat's paw, which in turn explains why they had shown hesitation in handing over the briefcase.
*Vincent has no trouble brandishing it, suddenly and very rapidly flipping it over even - before opening it - and we can hear no sounds coming from the inside of the case during the process - a subtle way for Mr. QT to suggest that whatever is in that briefcase it is not heavy, it is not in separate pieces, and fills up the entire space of its interior.
** Gold, if not in some excitated state, does not hum, and would render Vincent Vega's effortlessness while handling the briefcase next to impossible, or awfully noisy at the very least.
*** Which would explain in a way the speech impediment he developed.
remogaagi
Snape
'Is that what I think it is? It's beautiful.'
'That' and 'It' would seem to discount the possibillity of diamonds or gold. One gold bar? Hardly a Kings ransom. Diamonds casting a golden light? Hmm ...
I agree with most of the comments posted here. What's inside the case is actually unimportant and if provided with an answer we'd find it an anti climax. QT is playing with audience curiosity by having Roth's character speak those lines. He's taken the notion of Hitchcock's MacGuffin, (something that can be ambiguous, completely undefined, generic or left open to interpretation), and teased our expectations. He's the perfect director for our post-modern, conspiracy theory culture; if you don't get the answer you want then you create more questions!
Great movie.
TonyRockyHorror
let me break it down for you..
while all of you have been REPEATING THE SAME CLICHES ABOUT THE MOVIE YOUVE BEEN OVERHEARING FOR THE PAST DUNNO-HOW-MANY YEARS about 666 on the briefcase and the band aid and blah de fuckin blah, none of you have decided to look further at the, get this, symbolism, motifs and themes for the film!!!
i heard at least one cat say God stopped the bullets since they were messengers from God and that the frat boys were devils workers. props to you. examine even closer the tid bits of dialogue between them in that particular scene. ever hear that old saying "the road to hell is paved with good intentions"? remember when jules pops flock-of-seagulls, and retorts "oh im sorry, did i break your concentration? continue; you were saying something about 'best intentions'".....
on the surface, tarantino has created a new brand of gangster comedy that examines american culture, not just the old pop culture of the 70's, but the way we live within our comofrtable lives through the eyes of some people living in a criminal underbelly. the true meat of this picture is the spiritual journey each of the main characters takes.
One word you need to keep in mind the next time you watch this flick: REDEMPTION. After jules and vince are given a second chance, Jules heeds the call while Vince remains ignorant, and what happened? he got sprayed by Butch. and what happened after Butch escaped the clutches of the perverts? he turned around, did the courageous thing by reentering the depths of hell to save the man who wanted him dead, and was given a free walk. After all, having just been reunited with his soul, im sure Wallace was experiencing a mighty change of heart....
look, now that i got the gears turning, go reexamine my favorite movie and look for more connections such as this.
enjoy, be peace.
axolotl
The McGuffin theory is only partially correct. The briefcase does contain whatever you want it to contain. However, this applies to the characters too. For Vincent, drugs; for Ringo, gold; for Marsellus, money.
Most importantly, for Jules it contains enlightenment (in the Buddhist sense). The movie has an underlying theme of Buddhism. Jules knows what each of the others sees in the case ("Wisdom is knowing others, enlightenment is to know yourself")
btw, Butch achieves sudden enlightenment when he awakens from his dream of the gold watch.
axolotl
cananalyze.blogspot.com
the Can Analyze blog.
Pulp Sloth
baalroo
if you want to include the bandaid on the neck it could be assumed that marsellus sold his soul in order to procure the spear.
This would also explain why the bullets go straight through jules and vincent when they have just procured the case, why vincent (supposedly a top flight professional hitman) accidentally shoots marvin in the face for no reason shortly after they take the case from him, and why vincent ends up making a rookie mistake and gets shotgunned by butch shortly after jules takes the case to deliver it to marsellus.
The only person to make it out alive is Jules, who "sees the light," gives the case away with no remorse, and decides to walk a spiritual path.
dalejr
Diddycoz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmvFgSfpfbQ
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