Movies have become what director Alfred Hitchcock called a "MacGuffin" — a red herring that triggers a plot but has no other inherent value. Like MacGuffins, movies have little inherent purpose except to be talked about, written about, learned about — shared as information. [Movies just don't matter, Los Angeles Times, July 31, 2005 - see "Miscellany"]

Today, all the movies are drab
Compared to Oprah's free gab.
A glam MacGuffin
Will keep us all gushin'
Without payin' the box office tab.