Like some of the others, I read it in 9th grade too and thought that it was one of the best and most memorable stories I read in high school. I was excited to see the movie on TCM one morning, and I enjoyed that a lot also.

Yea I read this for a class also and loved it, also thought it would be an epic movie if done right. I haven't seen the movie, but I heard there are some slight differences in parts of the story but nothing major.
On a kinda related note, I was flipping through the channels tonight and stumbled apon Hydra, a sci-fi TV movie that is so awesomely bad I had to contiune watchingit had rich people hunting other people on a deserted island. I just found it funny that this crappy movie used one of my favorite short stories as its basis.

This message has been deleted.

I read it recently in English class, also. We were having a discussion about the movie and I noticed that the movie "The Condemned" seemed very similar.
Indianapolis Colts-2007 NFL Super Bowl Champions
Indiana PacersJust Go Pacers!

I'm also in Honors English 1, and we just finished reading it too
So far we've read
-Contents of a Dead Mans Pocket
-The Most Dangerous Game
-The Cask of Amontillado
-Blues Aint No Mockin Bird
-The Scarlett Ibis
-The Necklace
-Snow
And one other that I cant seem to remember
Well I thought that it was a wonderful story, I also feel that they should re-make it, but not with too many Hollywood names, seriously I feel that Fincher or even Lynch could do this story to justice
I felt that Zaroff was similar to a character in a novel I once read (also seen the movie) his name was Patrick Bateman and the novel was "American Psycho"I'm not quite sure if anyone else feels the way I do, I would like to hear if anyone does? Thanks
I Paris Hilton

I have taught this story for many years in my high school English classes and rememebered reading it in school when I was a teenager, but I had never seen the movie until today. It is very well done but somewhat different from Connel's famous story.
What I appreciated most about the movie was that it was made by the same group of film makers who created the amazing "King Kong" and it has teh same kind of spirit.
The addition of characters not featured in the story do not ruin the story, and, in fact, I like them.
The themes are all intact and the atmosphere is wonderful. I will show this to my students (even though they will groan when they see that it is in black and white).

I'm amazed that most if not all people here only got to read this in the higher grade levels. If I'm not mistaken, I read this whilst I was in fourth grade, or possibly 5th grade.

i just read this in school i have ap english i thought it was a short story we used it to analyze literary techiques or something

Better than 3! Flutch! You are everywhere! Damn!

I read it when I had no hair on my ass, but today I am two seperate gorillas.
Nothing exists more beautifully than nothing.

They assigned this with a large number of other short stories to read at university of MD. Feel funny though that all of you read it in 9th grade :). It was an easy read though. Im ordering the movie from Ebay right now, it better be good!
for shizzle

"Captain Mephisto and the Transformation Machine"?
Nothing exists more beautifully than nothing.

It's not the same as the book. I read it, and I'm watching the movie in school. We saw a HILARIOUS movie trailer with Vincent Price! LOL!
I
Mr. Macphisto!

was Harry Von Zell in it yet?
Nothing exists more beautifully than nothing.

This message has been deleted.

Don't forget "Gomer's Onions."
Nothing exists more beautifully than nothing.

we read this in our 9th grade class and have to write a prt 2 about it =(
haha mysn soo lame!
Dan
hanginoncliff@yahoo.com

Everything you say is true, but this story was also a big influence on Lost. Think about it.
Nothing exists more beautifully than nothing.

woah does like everybody read this story in 9th grade english?!?!? seriously! i just finished this story as well in honors english.

This message has been deleted.

Guess I am an old hand at this. Back in the mid to late 50's, in Jesuit schools in the Mid West (I grew up in Kansas City, MO), there was a Freshman Reader ("Prose and Poetry for Enjoyment") that the frosh were told to buy. The short story by Connell was the first story we kids all had to read under the guidance of a Jebbie teacher.
Good Godfrey, the story blew my mind. I recall reading the redacted "Hurricane" and "The Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" later on, and a couple of others like "The Gift of the Magi." But the first story by Connell lived in my memory for years. Even now, nearly 50 years later, the story is as thrilling as any Sherlock Holmes story I read before I entered High School.
I don't know what the high school readers are publishing these days. But I think there is a body of short stories that kids even in our day should be exposed to. Like, the story under discussion and those mentioned above, as well as the moving "Silent Snow, Secret Snow" and a tale or two by Poe. Can kids today be all that different from kids in the fifties?

I read it in 8th grade. Zaroff is a general, and the victim guy was by himself. They were like the only characters in the story.
~If only I could touch it~
http://www.neopets.com/refer.phtml?username=karatewolfpunk

Ian McKellen would be a ganrly Zaroff.
I read this last year in grade 8..I want to see the movie now!!!
Man eating orchids forgive no one just yet.

I read this about a month ago for 9th grade LA and it was a very good piece of liturature! The only bad part was my teacher has us write what would happen after Rainsford waked up after sleeping in Zaroff's bed in the end.
I say keep Matt McConahay (worng spelling) and Reese Witherspoon, but why not Ian McKellen as Zaroff?
Bite my nuts and call me skippy!

• Matt Stiffler
  IDMbWE X Division Champion