Lord Humungus

Hey everyone. Ok, so I don't know if this has ever been discussed but I've got some questions about Pulp Fiction. First off, I thought it was an excellent film. So, what was in the briefcase. I'd just like to see what people thought and perhaps if anyone saw something with Tarentino and he actually discussed what was in the breifcase. Personally, I think it was Marsellus soul. The whole movies takes on a sort of biblical and etherial take. Lots of "intervention" by God and what have you. There is a scene with Marsellus and it shows the back of his neck and hes got a bandaid on. I believe in the very old days, that was where they jammed rods into peoples skull thinking they could take their soul from them. Thats just my outtake and I was wondering if I was right/wrong/crazy? Thanks!

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I am still searching for the movie this quote was in...
"Make you strong, like bull", said in a russian accent
Post here if you know anything...PLEASE!

sadistikdreams

I think I saw this thread on the old board.

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"Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone.
The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials."
-Lin Yutang

hearts, by d.a.

nine

The big mans soul!

Lord Humungus

do you know if that has be colloborated by Tarentino himself in some interview?

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I am still searching for the movie this quote was in...
"Make you strong, like bull", said in a russian accent
Post here if you know anything...PLEASE!

giblfiz

well, the clasic answer is always "a yellow lightbulb" but I think the point is you don't know, something valuble.

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leon2345

i think his recent answer at the san diego comic con was that it's whatever you think it is. i think he's real tired of the fans demanding explanation.

Lord Humungus

i went to the comic con. I live in san diego. Funny you mention that cause I saw him there and got a picture of him. However, I assumed that everyone he mets asks him so I didn't annoy him with that question.

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I am still searching for the movie this quote was in...
"Make you strong, like bull", said in a russian accent
Post here if you know anything...PLEASE!

Pellaz

Taken from ask yahoo:

Gwarv's Briefcase page quotes Samuel Jackson in a 1995 Playboy interview, "When I looked inside, between scenes, I saw two lights and some batteries. What I would have wanted to see are the next ten films I'm going to do and hope that they're all as good as Pulp Fiction."

What's the final verdict? It doesn't matter. Alfred Hitchcock coined the term "McGuffin" to refer to a diversionary plot device -- the bone thrown by the burglar to distract the watchdog of the mind. Like the statue in The Maltese Falcon, or the stolen money in Psycho, the briefcase in Pulp Fiction serves to set the characters in motion and throw some added intrigue into the mix. It's a great trick and, obviously, it worked.

and a breakdown of the soul theroy at snopes:
http://www.snopes.com/movies/films/pulp.htm

I, for one, tend to agree that it hardly matters. The journey was what was important, not the destination.

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" ' Big Mouth.
Remember it took three of you to kill me.
A god, a boy, and, last and least, a hero.' "

Lord Humungus

you know....I couldn't have asked for a better response. I totally agree that it doesn't really matter. It made the movie that much more interesting. Thanks for the link! That was fresh.

__________________
I am still searching for the movie this quote was in...
"Make you strong, like bull", said in a russian accent
Post here if you know anything...PLEASE!

RemyLebeau97

I've been wondering what was in the briefcase also, doesn't say anywhere, not even on the dvd extras. It does make it more interesting not knowing though but what ever was in the briefcase it was worth dying for. Also another question..........If you put the scenes in order from beginning to last it seems impossible, I can never do it, I always end up with a headache.

sadatx

*****SPOILERS****

It was NOT a McGuffin. Quentin did discuss what he meant by the breifcase in an interview not long after the movie came out. I wish I could remember what interview or article it was, but I don't.

Basically, Lord Humungus, you got it exactly right. In fact, I thought you must have heard Tarantino talk about it when you mentioned the band-aid, because the reference is so obscure (at least to me). Good looking out by the way, like I said I never would have gotten that if I hadn't heard Tarantino explain it.

So here's the deal: The light in the briefcase is indeed the big man's soul. When they go to the club and there is a band-aid on the back of Marcellus' head this is a reference to a part in the bible where its mentioned that a person's soul is extracted through the back of the neck.

It seems Marcellus sold his soul to the devil, but decided against (or something) and sent Vincent and Jules to retrieve. Vincent and Jules don't get hit by any bullets at the end because they are saving a soul.

Jules sees this miracle as God's work, walks away from "the life" and, we assume, lives. Vincet does not and gets mowed down by Bruce Willis.

There's more little things but I just can't remember them. I'll post a link to the interview if I find it.

^dude

Yeah i heard it was his soul.

Daval

wow, i always just assumed it was gold. I'm gonna have to watch that movie again and pay attention :P

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"It is impossible to obtain a conviction for sodomy from an English jury. Half of them don't believe that it can physically be done, and the other half are doing it."
Winston Churchill

Plan9Senior

It definately was supposed to be the fat boi's soul.

lalalapi

For those too lazy to click on Pellaz's link, or for those unwilling to believe Tarantino's constant repudiation of the "Marsellus Wallace's soul" theory, here is the quote from Roger Avery, who cowrote the stories:

Pellaz

Thanks lalalapi.

For all those people who are saying that Tarantino's intent was it to be the soul, please post a link. This link should be either a reputable source, or, falling that, identify the reputable soursce from which they got their information. Seriously, if I look hard enough, I can find a page quoting the Queen of England about her love affair with Johnny Depp.

__________________
" ' Big Mouth.
Remember it took three of you to kill me.
A god, a boy, and, last and least, a hero.' "

sadatx

That would take effort. Is it really that important?

Anyway, I want to see the page about the Queen and Johnny Depp.



And it better be reputable dammit.

Pellaz

You presented your theory that the briefcase was not a McGuffin with a fair amount of conviction, sadatx. I wouldn't think a bit of searching would be a herculean task.

And if you really want, I'll make up a page quoting the queen and depp this afternoon, but that wasn't the point, and it won't mean anything because it'll of been made by me trying to further my own goals (in other words, non-reputable), which was the point.

I'm not attacking you or your stance, but Tarantino is one of my favorite filmakers, and as such I have put the effort in to learn more about his works. If an interview exists where he owns up to the soul theory, I'd very much like to see it.

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" ' Big Mouth.
Remember it took three of you to kill me.
A god, a boy, and, last and least, a hero.' "

the_marq

No where in the bible does it say anything about the devil taking your soul from the back of your head. This is a huge crock of shit that the gulible and the stupid insist on repeating.

Second, the whole "It's Wallace's soul" thing is a widley know <B>hoax</B>, this has been common knowledge for about 5 years now.

Both Tarantino himself and Roger Avary (Co Writer) have said publicly numerous times, THERE IS NOTHING IN THE CASE!

Get over it.

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The Truth:

Johnny Cash could have kicked Bruce Lee's ass if he wanted to.

#3 in a series

YourNeverThere

the_marq, regardless of the actual passage in the bible, i dont know if it exsists or not, ive never read anything like that and I've the whole bible, but i forgot alot of it, and read it over a period of like 4 years, regardless though, its a movie.... everyone can take it for what they want, how can someone's reaction to a metafore be a hoax? Just becuase Tarantino mabye didnt want the case to mean the big dudes soul doesn't mean that that theory is wrong, Thoughout literature and media writers and directers put things in books and movies that get taking a different way by the public then what the author meant by it. I mean, ever been to an english class? whilst spending 3 weeks dissecting a stupid book do you really think that the author really meant "because it was bright, that people where coming alive! like in thier souls! or becuase it was day." People read way way to much into these book sometimes, much more than the writer probably thought they would, just the same, Tarantino wanted people to take it for what they want. Also, theres obviously a light in the case.

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The Above post is a direct quote from Shakespeare

the_marq

<B>YourNeverThere</B>, the hoax I was refering to was mentioned further up the thread. At one point there was a story that Tarentino himself had told the story about the Band-Aid on the big man's head and the soul removal thing. Which he never did. That's the hoax I was refering too.

Nevertheless, I think you're right in saying the case has whatever in it that you want it to have. Drama is suppose to work that way.

Personally, I think it was full of pr0n.

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The Truth:

Johnny Cash could have kicked Bruce Lee's ass if he wanted to.

#3 in a series

World's King

It was Twinkies.

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heavy is the head that wears the crown