Walking Tall

Amazon.com

The Rock is definitely Walking Tall in this straightforward remake of the popular 1973 revenge flick based on the real-life exploits of Sheriff Buford Pusser. Only the basic premise of the original film remains, but it's well-suited to the Rock's rising-star agenda, and it's a savvy, albeit uninspired follow-up to his previous hit, The Rundown. With typical beefcake bravado, Chris Vaughan (the Rock) arrives home in rural Kitsap County, Washington (filmed in budget-friendly Canada, of course) to find his hometown overtaken by childhood friend-turned-sleazebag casino owner and drug-dealer Jay Hamilton (played with steely-eyed malevolence by Neal McDonough), whose squad of goons includes the local sheriff. The cards are instantly and simplistically stacked against our hero, but no matter: he's soon kickin' ass and takin' names as the new sheriff, and from that point director Kevin Bray (All About the Benjamins) goes strictly by-the-numbers, limiting this punchy programmer to a brisk 85 minutes, with comic relief (courtesy of costar Johnny Knoxville) and an obligatory love-interest (Ashley Scott, in obligatory skimpy attire) tossed in for good measure. It's a cracker movie for a cracker audience, and on those terms it handily expedites the Rock's ascension to the action-movie throne. --Jeff Shannon

Description

When it comes to laying down the law with a vengeance, one man can make a difference. Action superstar The Rock (The Rundown, The Scorpion King) takes no prisoners as he fights for justice andcrushes corruption in this hard-hitting adventure that's "endlessly enjoyable and a lot of fun" (FOX-TV)! Johnny Knoxville (Jackass: The Movie) co-stars in this "bone-cracking, adrenaline-pumping" (Arizona Daily Star) ride inspired by the true story of a man who decided to take a standand take back his town.

Customer Reviews:

REALLY BAD REMAKE !.......2007-03-26

What ever good qualities were in the original did not make it into this remake! Really bad!

Tough.......2007-03-11

Loved it! Loved it! Dwayne Johnson is gorgeous and the role he played in this movie fit him like a pair of comfortable slippers because he just slipped right into it. Oooh! the way he used that piece of wood was so exciting and the strength he showed in recovering from the beating. I know I jumped a couple of feet in the air when the jury found him not guilty. Johnny Knoxville's role was so natural and Neal McDonough was also great. Great movie that I will be watching over and over again.

...And Carry a Big Stick.......2007-01-23

Walking Tall is a remake of the 1973 film, which is in turn a "semi-biopic" of Sheriff Buford Pusser. Ironically enough, Pusser was a former professional wrestler-turned lawman in McNairy County, Tennessee. For those of you keeping track, the Buford Pusser was renamed to Chris Vaughn (in the world of macho movies, this is understandable) and his background was changed from wrestling to Special Forces. Which is funny, because Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who plays the role of Vaughn, is a former professional wrestler turned actor.

In this action movie, Vaughn returns to his hometown of Kitsap County, Washington (instead of Pusser's actual McNairy County, Tennessee) from a stint in the Special Forces. We're not sure what Vaughn did, but it must have been ugly, because he never speaks about it and answers questions about people he killed with a sad stare. Unfortunately, Kitsap County has gone downhill since the local lumber mill closed. His father, Vaughn Sr. (John Beasley) is out of work. Vaughn's sister Michelle (Kristen Wilson) has become a cop, but her son Pete (Khleo Thomas) hangs out with the wrong crowd. Heck, even Vaughn's old girlfriend Deni (Ashley Scott) has become a stripper. All these sins can be blamed on Vaughn's old high school rival, Jay Hamilton (played with sneering arrogance by Neal McDonough).

Vaughn's return is cause for celebration by his friends, including the recovering alcoholic Ray (Johnny Knoxville, of all people), who treat him to a night of gambling and debauchery at Hamilton's premiere casino. But the whole place is dirty, where gamblers cheat and drugs are given to kids. It's at this point that Walking Tall flirts with cartoonish levels of evil. Even Hamilton points this out: "Why would I sell drugs when I own the entire town already?" Why indeed?

Vaughn goes nuts once he discovers that the place is corrupt, and his fisticuffs earn him a form of vicious revenge from the security staff that involves a box cutter and a lot of cutaway scenes of Vaughn screaming. Left to die, he manages to recover on his parents' sofa. The sheriff (Michael Bowen) and his deputies are obviously in Hamilton's pocket and refuse to help. When Vaughn's nephew overdoses on drugs gained from Hamilton's casino, Vaughn's had enough: he takes a four-foot hickory club and smashes the place up. That's just the first half of the movie.

Returning to reality, Vaughn's outburst causes him to be brought up on several charges, brought by the very people who cut him up the first time. Vaughn wins the case by appealing to squeamishness of the jury, who wince once he shows them the scars from the box cutter. "If you acquit me of these charges, I'll run for sheriff!" he shouts. And they do. And he does. What happens next is a good old-fashioned butt-whupping from a big man with a big stick.

I didn't expect much from an action movie headlined by a wrestler, but Walking Tall distinguishes itself in several ways that make it worth watching:

IT'S MULTIETHNIC: Vaughn's father is black, his mother is white; Vaughn's girlfriend is white. The movie doesn't make a big deal about it.

IT KNOWS ITS LIMITATIONS: The Rock is huge. This obvious fact is used against Vaughn when he's on trial, as the poor, beat-up thugs make him out to be a monster. And he sort of is...he's just a monster you want on your side. Ray is both pathetic and amusing, but mostly pathetic, as only Knoxville can play him.

IT UNABASHEDLY LOVES ACTION: This movie is about good guys beating up bad guys. Although Vaughn's Special Forces training is curiously absent from most of the film, he does get into fistfights and gunfights with everybody. The fighting is fast and furious but never overtly cinematic. There are lots of thuds, grunts, and crunches.

I like The Rock. He's handsome and sleek in a way that other muscle-bound stars are not, conveying both strength and speed. He doesn't come off as a brutal thug by just looking at him, unless he's standing next to someone else. And because Johnson is famous for arching his eyebrow in ironic "am I for real or what?" pose, he's able to pull off comedy by standing next to someone considerably smaller, like Knoxville.

Walking Tall has both heart and muscle, a feel-good tale about a tough guy who stands up for his hometown in an era when nobody seems to be standing up for anything anymore.

Good action, solid storyline of with a dash of humor........2007-01-18

Knoxville and The Rock are a good pair of longtime friends in a small rural Washington town overun by corruption. The rock is a decorated sergent home from the army, Knoxville a streetwise highschool friend that lived on the other side of the law. Together, they try to set things strait in a town that is not what the sergent left behind. This storyline is based of a series of films (a trilogy)in the 1970's and a tv series about Buford Pusser, a sherrif in Tennessee, and on real life Buford Pusser. Check this film out, a reasonably done film good for a thrill or two. Rumor has it, there is a sequal coming out, Walking Tall-The Payback with Kevin Sorbo. Please see this one before you see that, because it will likely ruin your impression of the storyline

Love This Movie!.......2007-01-16

I really enjoyed the non-stop action and adventure in this movie. A good Saturday night movie to watch at home and chill out. I think The Rock is so nice-looking. Nice modern version of the earlier picture.

Average customer rating:

Much better than expected, Kevin Sorbo did well, good story.
could've been so much better
Good Movie!
Walking Tall - Great Movie
Kevin Sorbo is a Damn JOKE!!

Walking Tall - The Payback
Starring: Kevin Sorbo , Yvette Nipar , A.J. Buckley , Gail Cronauer , and Bentley Mitchum
Director: Tripp Reed
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000LRZHRI
Release Date: 2007-02-20

Amazon.com

Not a sequel, per se, to the 2004 feature Walking Tall with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (which in itself was only loosely based on the real-life story of Southern lawman Buford Pusser), this by-the-books actioner stars Kevin Sorbo (Hercules: The Legendary Journeys) as another taciturn tough guy who faces down small-town corruption with determination and a very big stick. Sorbo plays a former elite soldier who returns to his small Texas hometown to discover that his sheriff father has been murdered by a cadre of nefarious types (led by tattooed heel A.J. Buckley), and with the help of a comely FBI agent (Yvette Nipar), he takes up his father's badge and takes on the bad guy with a particularly large piece of hickory as his main weapon. Sorbo is a likely action star, though he lacks the charm of The Rock (or the downhome grit of Joe Don Baker and Bo Svenson, who played Pusser in the '70s feature and its sequels), and the story is doggedly formulaic in its march to a showdown conclusion. The action, however, is plentiful, and should provide a passing distraction for viewers seeking some testosterone-heavy thrills. -- Paul Gaita

Product Description

Kevin Sorbo stars as Nick Prescott in this action-packed sequel to the hit film, Walking Tall, as the son of a small town sheriff who returns to home to discover the place in which he grew up is now overrun with crime, drugs and violence. A group of ruthless criminals is purchasing real estate using strong-arm tactics. With the cooperation of corrupt local county policemen, they have been pilfering gas from local gas stations, leaving a trail of destruction behind. When Nick's father, in an effort to stop the criminals, is ruthlessly killed, Nick enlists the help of an FBI agent in an effort to seek out justice and revenge.

Customer Reviews:

Much better than expected, Kevin Sorbo did well, good story........2007-04-19

I enjoyed the first Walking tall, Starting the rock in a story of one man's quest to turn around his small hometown that had been overun with crime and drugs. This movie is based in Boone texas, and Kevin sorbo plays the son of the long time county sherrif, who county is having a bunch of trouble with recent crimes and "bad accidents" after his 30 years of relative peace on the job. Finally, after an explosion at one of the local gas sations, the sherrif uncovers something that leads him to suspect something big is going on. Unfortunatly for him, he became invovled in something bigger than him, and payed the ultimate price with his life. Well, His son (Kevin Sorbo) comes back to town to help his mom, and Do something about fixing his town. The movie takes off from there. Good action, Sorbo was a great fit for the role. Decent script, although some of the lines and acting can get cheesy, it decent for most action movies. And this does not let anybody down for action. Check it out, good follow up movie in the series, thankfully not billed as a sequel.

could've been so much better.......2007-04-07

I don't understand why they keep making these silly walking tall movies with little or no regard to Sheriff Buford Pusser, the real and only walking tall (HELLO)!!!!! Why can't someone just remake the REAL TRUE STORY of Sheriff Buford Pusser??????

Good Movie!.......2007-03-29

I was a little dissapointed that there wasn't more action, but this was a really good movie with solid acting by everyone and a good script. I loved the bar fight scene!! Kevin Sorbo was great, as always, and AJ Buckley did a good job as the main villian. I can't wait until Walking Tall 3 comes out!

Walking Tall - Great Movie.......2007-03-27

After a few hiccups with actually recieving my copy of Walking Tall The Payback, i really enjoyed this movie and thought that Kevin Sorbo and the supporting cast did a great job.

Kevin Sorbo is great in any role he plays and this one was no exception. He played the role of Nick Prescott so well. I really loved his character.

AJ Buckely was great bad guy, so much so that I wanted to hit him. He showed a little bit of compassion but not much in one part of the movie.

Jennifer Sipes role was only small but a role that you wont' forget in a hurry, she portrayed Krystal really well and the emotion she showed without having to even say a word.

Have watched this movie many times already and will watch it many times more.

Bring on the next movie.

Julia

Kevin Sorbo is a Damn JOKE!!.......2007-03-06

What is wrong with you people? Kevin Sorbo is good? Kevin Sorbo is the king of B-Movie garbage and lousy television. Give me a break. If I'm going to watch an awful sequel to a movie that was awful in the first place with an even lousier actor replacing the lead, I'll opt for The Substitute 2 and Treat Williams any day.

Average customer rating:

Walking Tall 3 - Great movie!

Walking Tall: Lone Justice
Starring: Kevin Sorbo , Yvette Nipar , Jennifer Sipes , Haley Ramm , and Jim Garrity
Director: Tripp Reed
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000TGJ826
Release Date: 2007-09-25

Product Description

Kevin Sorbo stars as Nick Prescott in this action-packed sequel to the hit film, Walking Tall, as the son of a small town sheriff who returns home to discover the place in which he grew up is now overrun with crime, drugs and violence. A group of ruthless criminals is purchasing real estate using strong-arm tactics. With the cooperation of corrupt local county policemen, they have been pilfering gas from local gas stations, leaving a trail of destruction behind. When Nick's father, in an effort to stop the criminals, is ruthlessly killed, Nick enlists the help of an FBI agent in an effort to seek out justice and revenge.

Customer Reviews:

Walking Tall 3 - Great movie!.......2007-07-14

Walking Tall - the Payback was a lovely surprise. Regardless the low budget, and thanks to the director and the talent of the actors, became a great movie to watch. Kevin Sorbo, as usual, makes an amazing job, turning saddness of the character into determination and showing us the character of a strong man. Kevin Sorbo turns a vengeance movie into a classy adventure and reminds us of our own inner strenght. A really good surprise and I'm quite sure Walking Tall - Lone Justice will be as good as The Payback. Congratulations, Kevin!

Average customer rating:

The Best of the Redneck Roughies
GOOD SEMI TRUE MOVIE
A True Story Turned into A Great Movie
Not My Cup of Tea
A All Time Classic

Walking Tall
Starring: Joe Don Baker , Elizabeth Hartman , Gene Evans , Noah Beery Jr. , and Brenda Benet
Director: Phil Karlson
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00007L4IK
Release Date: 2003-01-14

Amazon.com

Weirdly marketed as a right-wing screed upon its initial release in 1973, Walking Tall is really a tragic, shockingly violent post-noir film based on various legends surrounding real-life Southern sheriff Buford Pusser. Joe Don Baker (The Natural) gives a powerful performance as Pusser, who took on determined forces of crime and corruption in his town at great personal expense. Directed with an intentionally crude force by Phil Karlson (Kansas City Confidential), one of the toughest filmmakers of the 1950s, the film's grimness does not let up, but in the end it is more likely to break hearts than turn stomachs. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

The Best of the Redneck Roughies.......2007-07-27

Back in the early to mid 70's, there was a genre in film known as Redneck Roughies. Low budget films taking place in the South consisting of car chases, fist fights, coarse language and even a boob shot here and there. Films like Max Baer's (yes, that's Jethro from the Beverly Hillbillies!)"Macon County Line", Roger Corman's "Jackson County Jail" among others fell into this genre.

But the undesputed king of these Roughies was Walking Tall. Very loosely based on the exploits of real life Alabama sheriff Buford Pusser, the story tells of a one man battle against corruption. Joe Don Baker gives a career-making (although one note) performance as the club wielding lawman ready to bash heads of anyone who gets in the way.

First he gets sliced up at a casino and lives, later he's shot in the face and lives, then he's shot all over the place by machine guns and still lives! Rasputin eat your heart out! Got to be a special kind of lawman to endure that! The film has it's share of grisly violence but no sex, just a few boob shots.

The film was a box-office sensation raking in about $17 million and made on a shoestring budget. All in all it's a good action fair but certainly no family pic. If you're into some good gritty Redneck films, this is one to see.

GOOD SEMI TRUE MOVIE.......2007-03-23

I live in the same area where this story took place & most of the people here that knew pusser tell a much different story of what really happened than these movies . Still they are very good action movies !

A True Story Turned into A Great Movie.......2007-01-30

This movie was the true story of the life of Buford Pusser who was a
nobody who run for sheriff against Al Thurman the current sheriff and
won. Joe Don Baker plays the role of Sheriff Buford Pusser, Elizabeth
Hartman plays the role of his wife Pauline Pusser and Gene Evans plays
the role of Sheriff Al Thurman. When Pussor is beaten to with in an
inch in his life that's when he decides to run for Sheriff. Pussor did
things different then Sheriff Thurman and the biggest thing was that he
didn't have a ***. When Pussor starts to clean up the town the mob gets
very upset and tries to get even with the sheriff. Does the mob go to
far in their effort to stop the sheriff from interfering in their own
personal business.

Not My Cup of Tea.......2007-01-07

This movie was a little too graphic for my taste. Joe Don Baker moves to a small town and it doesn't take long for him to get into trouble. He participates in a bar fight and some thugs slice him open. Somehow he survives the attack, but he doesn't let anything slide. He campaigns to become the new sheriff and sure enough, it happens.

Baker busts a team of folks for making some surprisingly dangerous moonshine, and does bunch of other sheriff-type stuff. But there are way more bad guys in the town than we realize, and he gets shot point blank after falling for one of their traps. Once again, it's back to the hospital where he miraculously survives, again. His pursuit of criminals becomes even more aggressive, and he shoots a crooked lady at Christmas time.

I guess you can see where this is going. People keep sending Joe Don Baker to the hospital but he just keeps coming back. The movie gets more and more violent during this progression, and I was more depressed than inspired.

If you want a lighter Joe Don Baker movie, you can always watch his infamous performance as Mitchell, the policeman with no last name.

It frightens me that this was based on a true story. While it may not be my cup of tea, the public needs to know if stuff like this is actually happening.

A All Time Classic.......2006-12-29

One of my top favorite movie's of all time. Many classic lines. Joe Don Bakers finest role. Holleywood always takes some liberties, but this film is brutal and realistic from what I've read. Even macho's will be wiping the eyes before the movie ends.

Average customer rating:

The Second of the Buford Pusser series
Vengeance is Mine Sayeth Buford
not as good as the first but...
Walking Small
Walking Small

Walking Tall, Part 2
Starring: Bo Svenson , Luke Askew , John Davis Chandler , Robert DoQui , and Leif Garrett
Director: Earl Bellamy
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00006RJAR
Release Date: 2003-01-14

Customer Reviews:

The Second of the Buford Pusser series.......2007-02-01

This picture came out in 1975 and it was the second in the three part series of the life of Sheriff Buford Pusser. Bo Svenson takes over the role of Sheriff Buford Pusser, and Luke Askew plays the role of Mobster Pinky Dobson. The last that we saw Sheriff Pusser he was laying in a hospital bed after him and his wife who was killed in ambushed Sunday morning drive. After Pusser recovers he goes after the men that killed his wife. Is Pusser able to complete the revenge that he's after or does the mob try to take him out before he successes. The only thing that bother me about this picture that this was an actual true story. How could you leave in a town with this kind of crime and yet don't do anything about it.

Vengeance is Mine Sayeth Buford.......2006-09-26

Near the end of the Original WALKING TALL, Sheriff Pusser's wife is killed while the mob is attempting to kill him. Now it is time for payback. There are a few changes, though.

Bo Svenson replaces Joe Don Baker as the likable sheriff. He does a creditable job but, under the circumstances, he is less concerned with the niceties of exactly following the law.

He's still effective, though. He is so effective that the mob is desperate to get him and hires a variety of hit men to do the job. One of the mob leaders, in particular, is just as obsessed with getting the sheriff as the sheriff is with getting them. That leads to an intense conflict and no concern for niceties. That means violence and mayhem.

Even with his proclivity for violence, the sheriff is concerned for his people. He is still a "nice" guy unless you are one of the people who is responsible for the problems. He still manages to get most of the small fry but the big fish still elude him.

This is not a bad movie as sequels go but it is not as good as the original. Anger can only take you so far in progressing the plot. It cannot make up for a lesser script and lesser story.

not as good as the first but..........2004-12-14

Bo Svenson is damned good in this. No he ain't the actor we were used to having in the role since he ain't Joe Don Baker but he's very good in this. He has a real integrity about him and conveys a hunger for justice.

Walking Small.......2002-04-03

The original "Walking Tall", despite its low budget, was highly entertaining and commercially successful. The cast was very strong (particularly Baker and Hartman), the script was sound, and the direction was good. However, this sequel was shot by a different studio, with acting, direction, and script which are glaringly inferior to its predecessor. Joe Don Baker wisely declined to reprise his role as Buford, so the role went to Bo Svenson, who doesn't possess the acting skill required for a deodorant commercial, and who once again delivers a typically rotten performance. He is so bad in his role as the sheriff that one almost cheers for the villains, in the hope that someone will get this clown off the screen, and rescue viewers from further boredom. In fact, he should have been arrested for attempting to impersonate an actor.

Walking Small.......2002-04-03

The original "Walking Tall", despite its low budget, was highly entertaining and commercially successful. The cast was very strong (particularly Baker and Hartman), the script was sound, and the direction was good. However, this sequel was shot by a different studio, with acting, direction, and script which were glaringly inferior to the original. Joe Don Baker wisely declined to reprise his role as Buford, so the part went to Bo Svenson, who doesn't possess the acting skill required for a deodorant commercial, and proves it by delivering a typically rotten performance. He is so bad in his role as the sheriff that one almost cheers for the villains, in the hope that someone will get this clown off the screen, and rescue viewers from further boredom. In fact, Svenson should have been arrested for attempting to impersonate an actor.

Customer Reviews:

A Great Finsh To The Pusser Story.......2007-02-24

This was the final chapter of Walking Tall the life of Sheriff Buford Pusser. Bo Svensen returns to play the role of Sheriff Buford Pusser, Lurene Tuttle plays the role of Grandma Pusser, and Forrest Tucker plays the role of Grandpa Pusser. When the picture ended the last time Pusser had just finished of the last man that was involved in killing his wife. Pusser term as Sheriff is coming to an end and now he has a new challenger. Pusser looses the election and now is unemployed. He turns to buying junk cars and fixes them up to be sold. In the mean time Pusser tries to get on with the highway patrol but is ****** ****. When things get bad a movie director comes calling and wants to make a Hollywood production out of his life. Pusser agrees but he's got more problems then he realizes. I give this movie 5 weasel stars because of the suspense that keeps watching the picture and the action. You can get all three films in DVD right here on Amazon.Com

End of the Road.......2006-09-26

The second Walking Tall ends with a notice that Sheriff Buford was killed in an auto accident. This third one picks up earlier in the story though. He is still adamant about getting the people who killed his wife and the Mob is still bent on getting the sheriff but Buford has a problem. He has lost his job as sheriff.

The job loss comes about for several reasons. In some cases, Buford is scene as having gone too far outside the legal boundaries. This happens even when his solutions make life easier for everyone, including the perpetrators. The people of his county also seem a bit jaded by continued success. Where they once cheered him, now they are not ready to support him.

The loss of his job means that Buford has to go after justice as a private citizen and he is well on his way to the poorhouse in pursuing his aims. The new sheriff is suspicious of him and is fearful that Buford might become a problem for him. It begins to look like he might have to move away with his business unfinished when he gets a lucky break.

A Hollywood producer learns of his story and wants to make a movie about him. That brings in money and a chance for achieving his goals. The mob leader with a taste for vengeance finally gets his chance and we learn the story of the end of the former Sheriff of McNairy County.

This one is better than the second but not as good as the first.

the first Walking Tall was best but..........2004-12-14

Walking Tall - the Final Chapter has an ending that breaks my heart. VERY MOVING AND TRAGIC. Svenson does another fine job conveying integrity and a hunger for justice.

Average customer rating:

DVD
Mediocre TV Sheriff Show from the 70s
These episodes/stories are all fictional.
Forgotten part of the 'Walking Tall Saga'
A wonderful DVD set

Walking Tall - The Complete Series
Starring: Bo Svenson , Rad Daly , Heather McAdam , Walter Barnes , and Harold Sylvester
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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ASIN: B000E1EHQ8
Release Date: 2006-03-07

Amazon.com

Not to be confused with the popular movies of the same name, Walking Tall - The Complete Series is a two-disc set containing seven episodes made for NBC television in 1981. Bo Svenson, who replaced Joe Don Baker as Sheriff Buford Pusser for the 1975 sequel to the original 1973 film (the 2004 remake featured Chris "the Rock" Vaughan), stars again as the no-nonsense rural lawman who uses a high-falutin' moral sensibility and a large club to keep order. Svenson is no Olivier (or Baker, for that matter), but pretty much anyone would have a tough time lifting this show above its level of mediocrity. What we have here is cornpone with a conscience, The Dukes of Hazzard with principles, tackling big issues (teen drug use in "The Killing of McNeal Country's Children," racism in "The Protectors of the People," industrial pollution in "Deadly Impact") with all the subtlety and nuance of Pusser's two-by-four, featuring villains who are beady-eyed, white trash lowlifes, mealy-mouthed corporate liars, or other stereotypes. And while Pusser freely delivers sententious pronouncements like "the law is this county's gotta stand for something other than just right or wrong" and lectures the townspeople about what's best for them and his families ("I'd think about that if I were you"), when things go too far he's only too ready to take matters into his own hands and bust a few heads, the law be damned. On the other hand, it's fun to see pre-stardom guest turns by actors like Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger from the Nightmare on Elm Street films) and Eric Stoltz, along with former NFL star Merlin Olsen, who does a decent job as a former friend-turned-bad guy in "The Hitman." Although there is plenty of violence, none of it's particularly grisly by new millennium standards, and Walking Tall's touting of traditional family values will certainly have its adherents. The DVD set incudes no bonus features. --Sam Graham

Customer Reviews:

DVD.......2007-08-08

Loved thismovie now I can watch when ever I want & believe me I've watched it several times, My son has borrowed it more than once. Everything it was stated. A++++++

Mediocre TV Sheriff Show from the 70s.......2007-07-09

The original WALKING TALL movie shocked people of the time with its violence and straight forward, no-nonsense route to justice. To a lesser degree, the sequels tried to do the same thing. In the case of this series, an attempt was made to commercialize the idea. The attempt was not all that successful.

The movie worked because of a desire to see justice and because of a frustration with the system. In that context, Sheriff Buford Pusser's violence made sense. In the TV series, however, it is another matter. The violence and disregard of the system is present just for the sake of excitement.

The acting is a mixed bag as are the plots. There has been much worse which has lasted longer on TV. This show, only lasted for 7 episodes. That was enough.

Episode synopses follow:

The Killing of McNeal County's Children - Someone is selling PCP cigarettes in the local school and Sheriff Pusser is on the warpath trying to shut down sales. He wants action and will let the law catch up as best it can.

The Protectors of the People - Tensions flare when some white supremacists try to incite racial violence and blame the black community for crimes they committed themselves. It comes to a head when a black deputy is framed for raping a white woman.

Kidnapped - A bank robbery goes wrong and the head robber gets shot and arrested. That leaves his sons looking for a way to spring him. They decide to stage a kidnapping to get their dad back.

The Hitman - A big time vice operator is trying to get set up again in McNeal County and the Sheriff is making things difficult. To get around those difficulties, a hit man is hired. This hit man is an old friend of the Sheriff.

Company Town- Sheriff Pusser investigates a missing man from a mining town. His wife is convinced that he has been killed because he was speaking out for better working questions. The more the sheriff looks around, the more crooked the setup seems.

Deadly Impact - The sheriff gets suspicious when a lady is run off the road. She is a pollution whistleblower and that raises eyebrows.

The Fire Within - A man with a gunshot wound runs the sheriff of the road. It turns out he is involved in a dangerous gun running operation. Before the accident, the victim made a confession to a priest but the priest refuses to divulge any information which might help the case.

These episodes/stories are all fictional........2006-07-31

These episodes/stories are all fictional.

I saw all of the Walking tall movies as a child and recently bought them all on DVD.

I don't even remember knowing of the series when it was on TV.

I bought the series on DVD hoping that it was somewhat based on true life events from the life Buford Pusser.

I was very disappointed to find out that the series had nothing to do with the true life, events of the legendary hero of a Sheriff, Buford Pusser.

There is a disclaimer at the end of each episode that is barely readable due to the small print and blurriness that says something to the effect of the stories are fictional events based on the career of Buford Pusser and that all characters except for Buford Pusser and his family are fictious.

You should also be aware that this series is supposed to take place in the early eighties and Buford Pusser actually died in the mid seventies.

One interesting fact that I found while reading about Buford Pusser and the movies Walking tall on the Internet, is that Bo Svenson was the second highest paid person on TV at that time, second only to Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show.

One other interesting thing that I found while reading about Buford Pusser and the movies Walking tall and the TV series, was that in the TV series episode where Buford Pusser burns down the bar, footage from the movie is reused, notice that the car he is driving reverts back to the Chevrolet Impala as he arrives at the bar and when he leaves, but in the rest of the series the police cars are not Chevrolets.

Forgotten part of the 'Walking Tall Saga'.......2006-03-28

For me, Bo Svenson IS Buford Pusser. Of course Joe Don Baker played the role in the first (And many say the BEST) film.
But growing up in the late 70's and early 80's, it was Svenson's version that I saw the most. Svenson played the part on film, in Part II:Walking Tall, and Final Chapter:Walking Tall.
And in 1981, Svenson picked up the club again for this short lived TV show.
I was 12 when the show came out and I loved it. I had seen the 2nd and 1st film (in that order) and the story hooked me. I watched every show.(Which is not a big deal, since only 7 were made, but still.)
When I found out the DVD set of the show was coming out, I jumped at it. But I knew that what I loved at age 12 might seem silly now.
That is not the case. If you are a fan of the film series, and not a hardcore "Joe Don is Buford" fan, then you should enjoy this try at a TV show.
I don't think there is a 'clunker' in the set. Sure, some of the plots have been done before, and you may figure out the 'twists' early on, but they are great fun to watch.
Svenson makes a great Buford. Some say he looked more like him then Joe Don did.
The theme song stayed with me all these years, and it was a joy to hear it once again.
And some posters have already mentioned the great guest stars-here's one they missed: Chuck Conners. Though he doesn't go 'one on one' with Svenson's Buford, he is good in his role.
if you are a 'Walking Tall' fan, this is a must buy!

A wonderful DVD set.......2006-03-18

Received my DVD set today and watched all of the epsiodes. The picture and sound on this DVD set is outstanding! The transfers look and sound better than the botched up Walking Tall movie set that Rhino released. Lets hope for a better release of the movies some time soon!
The Walking Tall TV series on DVD will not dissapoint! Thanks Sony for giving this show the care it deserved in your transfer to DVD!!

Average customer rating:

Walking Tall
Starring: Joe Don Baker , Elizabeth Hartman , Gene Evans , Noah Beery Jr. , and Brenda Benet
Director: Phil Karlson
Manufacturer: Paramount Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Walking Tall, Part 2

ASIN: B000VDDDWI
Release Date: 2007-11-20

Average customer rating:

Seen it, wish they would send it!!!!
Joe Don the VERY best part !!
3 months and still nothing - BOO to Amazon!
WHAT IS TAKING SOOOO LONG?!
Good for the Movies, Not the Frills

Walking Tall Trilogy Boxed Set
Starring: Joe Don Baker , Elizabeth Hartman , Gene Evans , Noah Beery Jr. , and Brenda Benet
Director: Phil Karlson , Jack Starrett , and Earl Bellamy
Manufacturer: Rhino Theatrical
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00006RJCS
Release Date: 2003-01-14

Amazon.com

Bing Crosby's company produced the first Walking Tall feature, which was based loosely on Southern sheriff Buford Pusser, a former wrestler who took on organized crime in his hometown. Joe Don Baker's formidable appearance and downhome persona helped sell the filmmakers' depiction of Pusser as an average American who stood up for justice, and Baker's performance and plenty of action helped make Walking Tall a major moneymaker in 1973. Pusser's big stick was handed to Bo Svenson for Walking Tall, Part II (1975), which followed his search for his wife's killers (she died in the first film). Svenson wasn't the only change--director Phil Karlson's no-nonsense style was replaced by veteran TV helmer Earl Bellamy's colorless approach, and American International Pictures took over distribution from the bankrupt Cinemation. Pusser himself, who had served as technical advisor on the first film, had also died in an explosion. Though audiences turned out in droves, the drop in quality was obvious. The addition of action specialist Jack Starrett (Race with the Devil) as director on Final Chapter: Walking Tall (1977) was initially promising, but the result was a tired retread of Pusser's previous adventures and, amusingly enough, the making of the first film. A short-lived series starring Svenson followed in 1981, but by then, the story had exhausted itself. A new theatrical version is reportedly in production.

This three-disc set compiles the Walking Tall trilogy in a no-frills package that's more convenient than collectible. Considering the films' much-vaunted subject and the success of the first film, it's a disappointment to learn that the discs lack any extras or even improved image quality (VHS masters appear to have been used). While it's good to have these lowbrow crowd-pleasers back on the market, the set's threadbare presentation makes it essential for trilogy devotees only. --Paul Gaita

Customer Reviews:

Seen it, wish they would send it!!!!.......2007-07-24

I ordered this product in April, now they tell me that it will be October when they "MIGHT" be able to to ship it "IF AVAILABLE".

If I advertise something that I don't have I go to jail, but it's O.K for Amazon to do this.

OH well, I will probably enjoy it even more, when I receive this package at 80 yrs old.

Joe Don the VERY best part !!.......2007-05-13

I saw this movie with Joe don Baker when it came out very first time.I have lots of clippings from the eal life of Mr. Pusser .The first movies comes the closest to his real like , in my opinion.Joe Don does a GREAT job , but the actor " BO " can't fill his shoes , let alone the real Pusser's shoes. My hubby , son and I visited Mr. Pusser's home town not long after he was killed, we saw ALL the places that these events happened.Plus we called his mom and asked if we might come over and meet her, she was delighted .We went to Mr. Pusser's home (the one now that you pay to go in ) and it was as if he still lived there.We also met his daughter , who then was in her late teens.But Mrs. Helen Pusser was so very nice, she told us all the things we had only heard and saw in the movies, what was real and what wasn't.plus she gave us a LOT of photos of the Pusser family, including a LOT of Mr. Pusser . It was a trip I will always remember .Now I'm so happy I s\went , before they turned it into a place like it is now.It was more real to life when we were there.
For anyone who hasn't say Walking Tall , esp. the first one, U are missing a GREAT movie , as far as Mr. Pusser's hometown, a Beautiful little county town in TN . You should go there if U EVER get the chance.
God bless
linda

3 months and still nothing - BOO to Amazon!.......2007-02-03

I ordered this as a Christmas gift in November. Today is February 2, and I've received notice that it will not be available until April! You've got to be kidding me! If you really want this boxed set, do not order it here, you will be sadly disappointed!

WHAT IS TAKING SOOOO LONG?!.......2006-12-10

I ordered this Nov 5th..item was in stock...paid for 2nd day ship. Today is DEC 9th...still no "Trilogy" set. This was ordered as a Birthday gift (Nov 15th)..needless to say, I had to come up with another!! Now, I just HOPE this will be here for Christmas!! Maybe Easter?!

MISTAKE!!! Do not order is you need this...in the next YEAR!

Good for the Movies, Not the Frills.......2006-09-26

This set gives what it promises. It provides videos of the 3 movies from the 70s about Sheriff Buford Pusser. It does little else. There are no special features to speak of; its just the movies.

If you like the movies and don't care for the frill, you will like this set. If you want more, you will be disappointed.

Synopses of the individual films appear below:

Walking Tall
The Original is still a Classic
Joe Don Baker plays the part of Buford Pusser, a.k.a. Buford the Bull, a pro wrestler who is disenchanted with the crooked sport and who decides to settle down in his home town in rural Tennessee. Home is not the way he remembers it, though. There is a hint of corruption in the air.

This does not matter overly much to Buford until it affects him personally. When the local thugs, working for the local moonshiners and madam, work him over and leave him for dead, he decides that he has had enough. He doesn't get a gun, his wife does not like guns. Instead, when he recovers, he gets a big piece of oak, heads over to the roadhouse where all the problems are and proceeds to kick everyone's collective butt. That lands him in jail.

When the trial comes about, it's a pretty open and shut case. Even Buford admits that he did the violence. It looks like he is going to be convicted until he fires his lawyer, makes an impassioned plea on his own behalf, shows the jury his scars and promises that if he is acquitted, he will run for sheriff and clean up the town. He gets off and then proceeds to clean things up.

The problem is that the crooks don't want to be cleaned up. They fight him and even threaten his family. That makes it personal for Buford. He cleans them up anyway but has to endure a fair amount of grief in the process. Throughout it all, he relies only on speaking softly and carrying a BIG stick.

This is not highbrow. Its just a simple good versus evil story. Buford is the good guy and he is likable.

Walking Tall Part 2
Vengeance in Mine Sayeth Buford
Near the end of the Original WALKING TALL, Sheriff Pusser's wife is killed while the mob is attempting to kill him. Now it is time for payback. There are a few changes, though.

Bo Svenson replaces Joe Don Baker as the likable sheriff. He does a creditable job but, under the circumstances, he is less concerned with the niceties of exactly following the law.

He's still effective, though. He is so effective that the mob is desperate to get him and hires a variety of hit men to do the job. One of the mob leaders, in particular, is just as obsessed with getting the sheriff as the sheriff is with getting them. That leads to an intense conflict and no concern for niceties. That means violence and mayhem.

Even with his proclivity for violence, the sheriff is concerned for his people. He is still a "nice" guy unless you are one of the people who is responsible for the problems. He still manages to get most of the small fry but the big fish still elude him.

This is not a bad movie as sequels go but it is not as good as the original. Anger can only take you so far in progressing the plot. It cannot make up for a lesser script and lesser story.

Walking Tall: The Final Chapter

End of the Road

The second Walking Tall ends with a notice that Sheriff Buford was killed in an auto accident. This third one picks up earlier in the story though. He is still adamant about getting the people who killed his wife and the Mob is still bent on getting the sheriff but Buford has a problem. He has lost his job as sheriff.

The job loss comes about for several reasons. In some cases, Buford is scene as having gone too far outside the legal boundaries. This happens even when his solutions make life easier for everyone, including the perpetrators. The people of his county also seem a bit jaded by continued success. Where they once cheered him, now they are not ready to support him.

The loss of his job means that Buford has to go after justice as a private citizen and he is well on his way to the poorhouse in pursuing his aims. The new sheriff is suspicious of him and is fearful that Buford might become a problem for him. It begins to look like he might have to move away with his business unfinished when he gets a lucky break.

A Hollywood producer learns of his story and wants to make a movie about him. That brings in money and a chance for achieving his goals. The mob leader with a taste for vengeance finally gets his chance and we learn the story of the end of the former Sheriff of McNairy County.

This one is better than the second but not as good as the first.

Average customer rating:

Seen it, wish they would send it!!!!
Joe Don the VERY best part !!
3 months and still nothing - BOO to Amazon!
WHAT IS TAKING SOOOO LONG?!
Good for the Movies, Not the Frills

Walking Tall Trilogy Boxed Set
Starring: Bo Svenson , Luke Askew , John Davis Chandler , Robert DoQui , and Leif Garrett
Director: Earl Bellamy , Phil Karlson , and Jack Starrett
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Video
Binding: VHS Tape

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | VHS | Video

Askew, Luke | ( A ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Doqui, Robert | ( D ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Garrett, Leif | ( G ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Glover, Bruce | ( G ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Jaeckel, Richard | ( J ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Ramsey, Logan | ( R ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Svenson, Bo | ( S ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Tompkins, Angel | ( T ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Tuttle, Lurene | ( T ) | Actors & Actresses | VHS | Video

Bellamy, Earl | ( B ) | Directors | VHS | Video

Karlson, Phil | ( K ) | Directors | VHS | Video

Starrett, Jack | ( S ) | Directors | VHS | Video

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ASIN: 630571312X
Release Date: 2000-01-25

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Seen it, wish they would send it!!!!.......2007-07-24

Joe Don the VERY best part !!.......2007-05-13

3 months and still nothing - BOO to Amazon!.......2007-02-03

WHAT IS TAKING SOOOO LONG?!.......2006-12-10

Good for the Movies, Not the Frills.......2006-09-26

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