The Pulp Fiction watch is a true MacGuffin because it could be anything that gets him to go back to the apartment. The same holds true for the coke in True Romance. It is not the coke itself that drives the plot, it is the actions the characters take because of their desire to possess it and the end result. It could have been jewels or cash or anything at all that the bad guys wanted back and had monetary value used by the protagonists at the end.

However, the Ark of the Covenant is NOT a MacGuffin because it (the object itself) ends up frying all the Nazis at the end, which is pretty significant in terms of the plot. This could be further argued that the actual Ark is a MacGuffin but the power inside is what makes it not one. Had the Ark held no real power by itself, and not altered the ending, then it would have passed the test. The Holy Grail in The Last Crusade falls short for the same reason. Monty Python’s Grail passes the test because it really doesn’t matter what it is and has no bearing on the outcome of the movie. They never even find it.

So what about the one ring? Along with the case from Pulp Fiction it seems like the most obvious one. However, it can’t be a true MacGuffin because it is just too significant in terms of the plot. It is not just some object that everyone wants. It actually changes the outcome of the story all by itself by altering the characters’ motivations and actions. There’s that power thing again. I suppose you could say that it could be replaced by any magical thingy that makes the characters behave that way but I’d argue that it goes against the basic definition of a MacGuffin; that the object itself holds no significance. I’d add the Deathly Hallows to this reasoning too simply because of the cloak and the role it plays in all seven books.

I didn’t start this off trying to argue that anything magic can’t be a MacGuffin but more often than not it seems to be true. Aside from the Pulp Fiction case and the Monty Python grail mentioned, I can’t think of another one right now. I have to go but I’d like to challenge someone to come up with something that is magic (or has power) and it really doesn’t matter. I haven’t seen either Transformers movies so I don’t know about those.

its almost like you took the worst macguffins of all time and put them together this sucks!

How do you not have the one ring from LOTR? and how is the watch from pulp fiction a macguffin? the suitcase is the macguffing that is worthy of being on the list.

And it really blows my mind that you dont have Rosebud on here. Looking at the list you probably dont even know what Rosebud is do you? Without Rosebud none of these other Macguffins would even exist

That’s why I like the watch. It gave Bruce Willis’ character a good excuse to return to the hotel room, but it didn’t have to be a watch. It could have been their getaway money. Or it could have been an old photo of his mother. It’s identity wasn’t important, just that it served the role of brining him back to the hotel.

i love MacGuffins. is a MacGuffin only a movie element, as in does the same concept in a book have a different term? i ask bc i know my number one in a book would be in HP7, the DEATHLY HALLOWS! yes, i consider the hallows a total MacGuffin.