What's in the briefcase, in the movie, "Pulp Fiction"?

Answer 1

Speculation abounds as to the nature of the mysterious glowing contents of the case:
Could it be Elvis's gold suit, seen worn by Val Kilmer (as Elvis) in True Romance (1993)?
The most persistent theory (most usually attributed to a friend of a friend who saw it posted on a message board by someone whose brother had read a report of a radio interview with Tarantino himself) is that it is Marcellus Wallace's soul. The story goes that when the Devil takes a person's soul, it is removed through the back of the head (this isn't part of any known religion, but this is what the message board posters say). When we see the back of Marcellus's head he has a Band-Aid covering the precise spot indicated by tradition for soul removal. Perhaps Marcellus sold his soul to the devil which would also explain why the combination to open the briefcase is 666.
Quentin Tarantino has said that the band-aid on the back of Marsellus Wallace's neck had nothing to do with an allusion to the Devil stealing Marsellus's soul... but that the actor Ving Rhames had a scar on the back of his neck he wanted to cover up.
Or could it be simply a 20-watt light bulb?
According to Roger Avary, who co-wrote the script with Quentin Tarantino, the original plan was to have the briefcase contain diamonds. This seemed neither exciting nor original, so Avary and Tarantino decided to have the briefcase's contents never appear on screen; this way each filmgoer could mentally "fill in the blank" with whatever struck his or her imagination as best fitting the description "so beautiful". The orange light bulb (projecting shimmering light onto the actors' faces) was a last-minute decision and added a completely unintended fantastic element.
In a radio interview with Howard Stern in late 2003, Quentin Tarantino was asked by a caller the contents of the briefcase, and he answered, "It's whatever the viewer wants it to be."

Answer 2

Much debate centers around the contents of the briefcase in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. A theory that has been passed around via e-mail and is prominent on the Internet is the following:


If you all are anything like me then you had no idea what was in the briefcase in Pulp Fiction. So, through a friend of a friend of a friend who had a two hour conversation with Quentin Tarantino himself, I now know, and I thought I would pass along the information because it makes the movie even 100 times better than it already is.
Remember the first time you were introduced to Marsellus Wallace. The first shot of him was of the back of his head, complete with band-aid. Then, remember the combination of the lock on the briefcase was 666. Then, remember that whenever anyone opened the briefcase, it glowed, and they were in amazement at how beautiful it was; they were speechless. Now, bring in some Bible knowledge, and remember that when the devil takes your soul, he takes it from the back of your head.

Yep, you guessed it. What is the most beautiful thing about a person: his soul. Marsellus Wallace had sold his soul to the devil, and was trying to buy it back. The three kids in the beginning of the movie were the devil's helpers. And remember that when the kid at the end came out of the bathroom with a "hand cannon," Jules and Vincent were not harmed by the bullets. "God came down and stopped the bullets" because they were saving a soul. It was divine intervention.

[Note: Nowhere in the Bible is it stated that "when the devil takes your soul, he takes it from the back of your head."]

However, that this interpretation came directly from Tarantino conflicts with other accounts. According to Tarantino A to Zed: The Films of Quentin Tarantino:

Tarantino has admitted that there is no official explanation behind the briefcase's contents, and that it was simply written into the screen play as an intriguing McGuffin.

Answer 3

WHen asked, Quentin said nothing was in there. If you ask the movie folklore fans, it's Marcellus Wallace's soul. The writers were originally going have the "Resevoir Dog" diamonds in there, but they figured that was too boring.
in late 2003, Quentin Tarantino was asked by a caller the contents of the briefcase, and he answered, "It's whatever the viewer wants it to be."

Answer 4

I think it was GOLD bars. or some top dolla funky, hairy, sticky BUUUUD. ever watch That 70's show? in one episode Hyde is given a movie container with bud from the stoner's cousin. And when he opened the container all you saw was a glow. that was to emphasize the potentcy and awesomeness of the weed lol. in pulp fictions case it could have been ne thing from weed, cocaine, gold.

Answer 5

No one really know what it was in the briefcase, Mr. Tarantino didn't even reveil it in his movie review so it's the unsolved mystery... The bandaid on the back of Marcellus neck is from the scene when he gets violated by the two red necks...

Answer 6

If you noticed Marcellus had a band aid on the back of his neck, its been well speculated that its his soul, since it shines so beautifully when Travolta opens it up. Although why those dorks needed his soul is beyond me. But if you pay attention, that guy comes out of the bathroom and shoots at them, and they dont die, but when they shoot back you see a slight glowing in the room. Best answer I could come up with. And bababooey to y'all

Answer 7

It's Marcellus's soul. The band-aid is on the back of his neck because in ancient mythology, the soul could be extracted from the back of one's neck. You'll also notice that when Brad is being shot the screen flashes that same golden color.

Answer 8

As I hear it, they have never said what it was. There was a theory that it contained Marcellus' soul, because of the importance of him receiving it back, and in his first scene, you see the back of his head and he has a bandaid at the base where his head meets the neck, presumably where his soul was taken.

Answer 9

No one really know. It's a mystery throughout the film. Some people believe it's souls

Answer 10

A Royal With Cheese-burger (french for Quarter Pounder with Cheese) ;-)