The fine people over at Rhino have released a box set of the Walking Tall trilogy. Of all the vigilante movies, these are, without a doubt, the cheeziest. Based on the true story of Sheriff Buford Pusser, despite the films' outrageous implausibility and stinking rotten acting, they were massive box-office successes (even after the trilogy, there was a made-for-TV movie and short-lived TV series).

The first one, released in 1973, is truly odd in its rather contradictory attempts to be progressive on the race-relations front (Pusser hires an old black friend as one of his deputies), as well as Pusser's weapon of choice. The sheriff makes himself a big log to carry around. Totally unwieldy and awkward, it's rather amazing that no one points out to the sheriff that he'd probably be better off just carrying around a baseball bat, but never mind.

The casting is also a bit wonky, with key players being replaced from one sequel to the next (even the face of Pusser himself would change, from Joe Don Baker to Bo Svenson after the first film). And Teen Beat aficionados--and I count myself among them--won't miss one young tike who looks mighty familiar. Indeed, that's Leif Garret playing Pusser's son.

--Matthew Hays