Load of rubbish!!

Absolutely Fantastic

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

Yeah, I know what you're thinking, I thought the same. Yet another low budget zombie film; even worse, a comic zombie film. The last one of those I watched was the horrid DEADHEADS, so at least I knew HAROLD'S GOING STIFF couldn't be worse...or could it? That innuendo-filled title didn't promise much...What a surprise to sit down and watch the film, then! HAROLD'S GOING STIFF sidesteps all of the usual problems faced by low budget filmmakers, and isn't actually a horror film at all. Instead it's a black comedy in which the zombie disease is likened to a terminal illness or a life-affecting condition such as dementia. The zombies here are victims, people gradually losing control of their bodies and struggling with medical tests and their condition. The whole thing is presented as a pseudo-documentary which sits nicely with the low budget.The comedy is a mix of the subtle and the slapstick, the latter coming into the story with a group of amateur zombie hunters who come across like the Three Stooges. At the film's heart, though, is the titular character; Stan Rowe gives a warm, moving turn as the afflicted Harold, struggling to come to terms with his new life. Much of the focus is on his relationship with his carer, played by the excellent Sarah Spencer, who is the story's heart and soul. Things get darker and darker right up until the tragic climax, in which my tears were flowing freely. Who'd expect that from a low budget zombie flick?

Harold is the first man to suffer a new disease called O.R.D., which brings on a state of rigor mortis rendering the sufferers zombie-like. A well-meaning nurse befriends him but the onset of the disease makes him a target for a group of vigilantes who feel that killing these 'zombies' is a service to society.This mega low budget horror comedy has to be given some credit for at least being a little bit different. Its focus is really on the relationship between Harold and his nurse, as opposed to typical gory zombie mayhem. So much so that this only just qualifies as a horror flick at all. The zombies never really threaten to any proper extent and only exist in the periphery of events. The film utilises a mockumentary format which works in its favour really, allowing for mock-seriousness which contributes to the humour quite a bit. But overall I can't say I found it very funny to be fair and would describe it as more amusing than hilarious. But perhaps the biggest surprise about this one is its surprising emotional resonance. This is certainly helped a lot by the good acting by the two leads; we really go along with their characters and feel for both of them. It's actually even all a bit depressing by the end which is hardly what you're expecting to get going into a flick called Harold's Going Stiff! But if I am honest I would have to rate this one as pretty middling overall. It has originality but it is somewhat slight at the same time, meaning it's an interesting low budget effort but a bit uneven all the same.

I'm afraid I'm one of those old misery guts types who rarely feels compelled to write good reviews on this website but, when confronted with a stinker, am happy to bash out a 1-star slating!Let me redress this for once by joining the other fans on here in recommending this film wholeheartedly - not just to horror fans but to film fans of all stripes. What kills film after film for me is lousy writing - you can chuck all the money in the world at a film but a rotten script will sink it (yes, I'm looking at you Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter!). Harold's Going Stuff is a terrific story made on a budget that probably wouldn't cover half a days catering on the aforementioned turkey (Yes, I know - time to let it go!). The acting here is tremendous too- keep an eye out in particular for Sarah Spencer who has charm in spades and is a star in the making.Highly recommended.

Great to watch a British film which has been filmed entirely in Yorkshire. Makes a change from the usual Zombie gore fest and actually has a bit of a touching side to it. Watched it with some great laughs and saw the serious side towards the end. Found myself laughing at the main character to start with and felt immersed into the plot quite quickly. If you want Murder, Blood, Guts and complete gore, this probably isn't the film you're looking for. If you want something a little different, you should definitely give it a try. It's appealed to my Wife as well as I've always had difficulty in managing to get her to watch more than 20 minutes of a film without getting up or talking, she managed to sit quietly for the whole film.