SECAM SYSTEM

At a Glance:
 

CHAPEAU MELON & BOTTES DE CUIR — THE NEW AVENGERS (BOXSET)

CB 993 349129 2

Released: January 1993 Distributor: Sony Music Vidéo Number of Cassettes: 4 RRP: 500 francs 349118 2 349119 2    349120 2  349121 2   Episodes — Series 1: The Eagle's Nest Cat Amongst the Pigeons Faces House of Cards Gnaws The Last of the Cybernauts..?? The Midas Touch Target! Sleeper Episodes — Series 2: Angels of Death K is for Kill — Part One: The Tiger Awakes K is for Kill — Part Two: Tiger by the Tail Brief: Episodes on these video cassettes featured French dubbed soundtracks.

CHAPEAU MELON & BOTTES DE CUIR — THE NEW AVENGERS — VOL. 1
349118 2	Released: January 1993 Distributor: Sony Music Vidéo Number of Cassettes: 1 RRP: Unknown Episodes — Series 1: The Eagle's Nest Cat Amongst the Pigeons Faces Brief: Separate release of cassette included in boxset. Episodes on this video cassette featured French dubbed soundtracks.

CHAPEAU MELON & BOTTES DE CUIR — THE NEW AVENGERS — VOL. 2
349119 2	Released: January 1993 Distributor: Sony Music Vidéo Number of Cassettes: 1 RRP: Unknown Episodes — Series 1: House of Cards Gnaws Episodes — Series 2: Angels of Death Brief: Separate release of cassette included in boxset. Episodes on this video cassette featured French dubbed soundtracks.

CHAPEAU MELON & BOTTES DE CUIR — THE NEW AVENGERS — VOL. 3
349120 2	Released: January 1993 Distributor: Sony Music Vidéo Number of Cassettes: 1 RRP: Unknown Episodes — Series 1: The Last of the Cybernauts..?? Episodes — Series 2: K is for Kill — Part One: The Tiger Awakes K is for Kill — Part Two: Tiger by the Tail Brief: Separate release of cassette included in boxset. Episodes on this video cassette featured French dubbed soundtracks.

CHAPEAU MELON & BOTTES DE CUIR — THE NEW AVENGERS — VOL. 4
349121 2	Released: January 1993 Distributor: Sony Music Vidéo Number of Cassettes: 1 RRP: Unknown Episodes — Series 1: The Midas Touch Target! Sleeper Brief: Separate release of cassette included in boxset. Episodes on this video cassette featured French dubbed soundtracks.

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR 1 (BOXSET)

Cat. No. Unknown

Released: 26th October 1993 Distributor: EMI France Number of Cassettes: 3 RRP: Unknown   Episodes — Series 4: The Cybernauts The House That Jack Built Man-Eater of Surrey Green Episodes — Series 5: Return of the Cybernauts Never, Never Say Die The Positive-Negative Man Episodes — Series 6: The Forget-Me-Knot The Interrogators Fog Brief: This VHS boxset release comprised three video cassettes. Each tape contained three episodes, the first from the '2eme Époque' (actually Series 4), the second from the '3eme Époque' (Series 5) and the third from the '4eme Époque' (Series 6). The prints were French dubbed and did not contain the original English soundtracks. This series of releases from EMI were reputed to be of a poor technical quality.

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR 2 (BOXSET)

Cat. No. Unknown

Released: 26th October 1993 Distributor: EMI France Number of Cassettes: 3 RRP: Unknown   Episodes — Series 4: A Touch of Brimstone Too Many Christmas Trees Death at Bargain Prices Episodes — Series 5: From Venus With Love Escape in Time Mission... Highly Improbable Episodes — Series 6: Game Look — (Stop Me If You've Heard This One) But There Were These Two Fellers... You'll Catch Your Death Brief: Once again, the prints were French dubbed and did not contain the original English soundtracks.

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR 3 (BOXSET)

Cat. No. Unknown

Released: 26th October 1993 Distributor: EMI France Number of Cassettes: 3 RRP: Unknown   Episodes — Series 4: The Town of No Return The Danger Makers The Girl from Auntie Episodes — Series 5: Something Nasty in the Nursery Death's Door You Have Just Been Murdered Episodes — Series 6: Legacy of Death Have Guns — Will Haggle Super Secret Cypher Snatch Brief: Once again, the prints were French dubbed and did not contain the original English soundtracks.

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR — 3EME ÉPOQUE

Cat. No. Unknown

Released: 26th October 1993 Distributor: EMI France Number of Cassettes: 1 RRP: Unknown Episodes — Series 5: The Superlative Seven The £50,000 Breakfast The Bird That Knew Too Much   Brief: This title was one of three releases that were issued singly alongside the first three boxsets on 26th October 1993. It was later included in Boxset 6 in April 1994. Once again, the prints were French dubbed and did not contain the original English soundtracks.

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR — 3EME ÉPOQUE
Cat. No. Unknown	Released: 26th October 1993 Distributor: EMI France Number of Cassettes: 1 RRP: Unknown Episodes — Series 5: Epic The Joker Murdersville   Brief: This title was one of three releases that were issued singly alongside the first three boxsets on 26th October 1993. Once again, the prints were French dubbed and did not contain the original English soundtracks.

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR — 4EME ÉPOQUE
Cat. No. Unknown	Released: 26th October 1993 Distributor: EMI France Number of Cassettes: 1 RRP: Unknown Episodes — Series 6: Noon Doomsday They Keep Killing Steed Take-Over   Brief: This title was one of three releases that were issued singly alongside the first three boxsets on 26th October 1993. Once again, the prints were French dubbed and did not contain the original English soundtracks.

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR: L'INDISPENSABLE! (BOXSET)

Cat. No. Unknown

Released: 26th October 1993 Distributor: EMI France / fnac Number of Cassettes: 4 RRP: Unknown     Episodes — Series 2: Mr Teddy Bear (*) Episodes — Series 3: Don't Look Behind You (*) The Little Wonders (*) Episodes — Series 4: Castle De'ath (*) A Surfeit of H2O (*) Two's A Crowd (*) Episodes — Series 5: The Fear Merchants The See-Through Man The Hidden Tiger Episodes — Series 6: Split! Killer Requiem Brief: One thing the French have always done with style are their novelty Avengers home video releases — and this is no exception! This was an fnac exclusive release, containing 4 VHS video cassettes with a booklet in a novelty package topped off with a bowler hat. The cassettes did not come with individual boxes or sleeves. The episodes on Cassettes 1 and 2 (*) were in English with French on-screen subtitles, while the prints on the other two tapes were French dubbed and did not contain the original English soundtracks. This was the first French release to contain English language tracks, albeit only on six of the twelve episodes included.

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR 4 (BOXSET)

Cat. No. Unknown

Released: April 1994 Distributor: EMI France Number of Cassettes: 3 RRP: Unknown   Episodes — Series 4: The Grave-Diggers How to Succeed at... Murder The Master Minds Episodes — Series 5: The Winged Avenger The Correct Way to Kill A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Station Episodes — Series 6: Get-A-Way! The Morning After Who Was That Man I Saw You With? Brief: Once again, the prints were French dubbed and did not contain the original English soundtracks.

 

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR 5 (BOXSET)

Cat. No. Unknown

Released: April 1994 Distributor: EMI France Number of Cassettes: 3 RRP: Unknown   Episodes — Series 4: A Sense of History Room Without A View Castle De'ath Episodes — Series 5: The Living Dead Who's Who??? Dead Man's Treasure Episodes — Series 6: The Rotters Stay Tuned The Curious Case of the Countless Clues Brief: Once again, the prints were French dubbed and did not contain the original English soundtracks.

 

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR 6 (BOXSET)

Cat. No. Unknown

Released: April 1994 Distributor: EMI France Number of Cassettes: 3 RRP: Unknown   Episodes — Series 4: The Murder Market The Hour That Never Was Honey for the Prince Episodes — Series 5: The Superlative Seven The £50,000 Breakfast The Bird Who Knew Too Much Episodes — Series 6: Thingumajig Take Me to Your Leader Wish You Were Here Brief: The video cassette containing The Superlative Seven, The $50,000 Breakfast and The Bird Who Knew Too Much had previously been released separately on 26th October 1993. We assume it retained the same cover design. Once again, the prints were French dubbed and did not contain the original English soundtracks.

  

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR — 4EME ÉPOQUE
Cat. No. Unknown	Released: April 1994 Distributor: EMI France Number of Cassettes: 1 RRP: Unknown Episodes — Series 6: All Done With Mirrors Pandora Invasion of the Earthmen   Brief: This title was one of two releases that were issued singly alongside the second three boxsets in April 1994. Once again, the prints were French dubbed and did not contain the original English soundtracks.

 

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR — 4EME ÉPOQUE
Cat. No. Unknown	Released: April 1994 Distributor: EMI France Number of Cassettes: 1 RRP: Unknown Episodes — Series 6: Whoever Shot Poor George Oblique Stroke XR40? False Witness Love All Brief: This title was one of two releases that were issued singly alongside the second three boxsets in April 1994. Once again, the prints were French dubbed and did not contain the original English soundtracks.

 

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR — LE COFFRET COLLECTOR (BOXSET)

Cat. No. Unknown

Released: Spring 1994 Distributor: EMI France / fnac Number of Cassettes: 4 RRP: 398 francs   Episodes — Series 2: The Mauritius Penny (*) Warlock (*) Episodes — Series 3: The Undertakers (*)   Episodes — Series 4: Dial A Deadly Number Silent Dust Small Game for Big Hunters Episodes — Series 5: The Winged Avenger (*) The Joker (*) Return of the Cybernauts (*) Episodes — Series 6: Homicide and Old Lace My Wildest Dream Bizarre Brief: This was an fnac exclusive, limited edition release, containing 4 VHS video cassettes. The cassettes did not come with individual boxes or sleeves. The episodes on Cassettes 1 and 3 (*) were in English with French on-screen subtitles, while the prints on the other two tapes were French dubbed and did not contain the original English soundtracks. These asterisked episodes were mastered from cut prints, with the exception of Return of the Cybernauts which is complete.

 

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR 8 — LES INÉDITS DE LA SÉRIE — VOL. 1 (BOXSET)

479940 3

Released: 27th October 1994 Distributor: EMI France Number of Cassettes: 3 RRP: Unknown   Episodes — Series 2: Death on the Rocks The Big Thinker Intercrime The Golden Eggs The White Dwarf Conspiracy of Silence Episodes — Series 3: Brief for Murder The Gilded Cage Dressed to Kill   Brief: The episodes were all presented in the original English language with on-screen French subtitles. This should have been numbered box 7, but for some unknown reason, a box 7 was never issued, with the collection moving straight on to box 8!

 

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR 9 (BOXSET)

Cat. No. Unknown

Released: 10th February 1995 Distributor: EMI France Number of Cassettes: 3 RRP: 335 francs   Episodes — Series 4: Castle De'ath A Surfeit of H2O Two's A Crowd Dial A Deadly Number Silent Dust Small Game for Big Hunters The Thirteenth Hole Quick-Quick Slow Death What the Butler Saw   Brief: The episodes were all presented in French dubbed editions. The cassette containing Castle De'ath, A Surfeit of H2O and Two's A Crowd had previously been issued in the fnac exclusive box set Chapeau Melon et Bottes de Cuir — L'Indispensable on 26th October 1993, while the one containing Dial A Deadly Number, Silent Dust and Small Game for Big Hunters had previously been available as part of fnac's limited edition Chapeau Melon et Bottes de Cuir — Le Coffret Collector, released in spring 1994.

 

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR 10 — LES INÉDITS DE LA SÉRIE — VOL. 2 (BOXSET)

491405 3

Released: 3rd November 1995 Distributor: EMI France Number of Cassettes: 3 RRP: 280 francs   Episodes — Series 2: Propellant 23 The Sell-Out Mission to Montreal Immortal Clay Man in the Mirror Killer Whale Episodes — Series 3: Man With Two Shadows Death of a Batman The Grandeur That Was Rome   Brief: The episodes were all presented in the original English language with on-screen French subtitles. The set was issued in a limited edition of 1,200 units.

 

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR 11 — LES INÉDITS DE LA SÉRIE — VOL. 3 (BOXSET)

491409 3

Released: 3rd November 1995 Distributor: EMI France Number of Cassettes: 3 RRP: 280 francs   Episodes — Series 2: Death Dispatch Box of Tricks School for Traitors Bullseye Death of a Great Dane Traitor in Zebra Episodes — Series 3: November Five Second Sight The White Elephant   Brief: The episodes were all presented in the original English language with on-screen French subtitles. The set was issued in a limited edition of 1,200 units.

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR: THE AVENGERS — ANNÉE 67 — COFFRET 1
Cat. No. Unknown	Released: 20th September 2000 Distributor: StudioCanal Number of Cassettes: 3 RRP: Unknown   Episodes — Series 5: From Venus With Love The Fear Merchants Escape in Time The See-Through Man The Bird Who Knew Too Much The Winged Avenger Brief: This first VHS boxset release in France from StudioCanal comprised three video cassettes. Each tape contained two episodes.

 

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR: THE AVENGERS — ANNÉE 67 — COFFRET 2
Cat. No. Unknown	Released: 20th September 2000 Distributor: StudioCanal Number of Cassettes: 3 RRP: Unknown   Episodes — Series 5: The Living Dead The Hidden Tiger The Correct Way to Kill Never, Never Say Die Epic The Superlative Seven

 

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR: THE AVENGERS — ANNÉE 67 — COFFRET 3
Cat. No. Unknown	Released: 20th September 2000 Distributor: StudioCanal Number of Cassettes: 3 RRP: Unknown   Episodes — Series 5: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Station Something Nasty in the Nurse The Joker Who's Who??? Return of the Cybernauts Death's Door

 

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR: THE AVENGERS — ANNÉE 67 — COFFRET 4

Cat. No. Unknown

Released: 20th September 2000 Distributor: StudioCanal Number of Cassettes: 3 RRP: Unknown   Episodes — Series 5: The £50,000 Breakfast Dead Man's Treasure You Have Just Been Murdered The Positive-Negative Man Murdersville Mission... Highly Improbable Episodes — Series 6: The Forget-Me-Knot Brief: This last volume contained a third episode on the final video cassette, to allow for the inclusion of the Series 6 opener, The Forget-Me-Knot. This release marked the first time that Series 5 had been issued as a complete set in Europe (albeit in four sets) and also set the trend for the next decade during which all releases of this season would erroneously (though understandably) include this Series 6 episode. The Avengers Declassified was instrumental in ensuring that the episode was finally placed correctly, on the Series 6 set, when The Avengers was remastered and reissued on DVD by Optimum/StudioCanal in 2010.

 

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR: THE AVENGERS — ANNÉE 65 — COFFRET 1
Cat. No. Unknown	Released: 28th November 2000 Distributor: StudioCanal Number of Cassettes: 3 RRP: Unknown   Episodes — Series 4: The Town of No Return The Grave-Diggers The Cybernauts Death at Bargain Prices Castle De'ath The Master Minds

 

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR: THE AVENGERS — ANNÉE 65 — COFFRET 2
Cat. No. Unknown	Released: 28th November 2000 Distributor: StudioCanal Number of Cassettes: 3 RRP: Unknown   Episodes — Series 4: The Murder Market A Surfeit of H2O The Hour That Never Was Dial A Deadly Number Man-Eater of Surrey Green Too Many Christmas Trees

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR: THE AVENGERS — ANNÉE 66 — COFFRET 1
Cat. No. Unknown	Released: 24th January 2001 Distributor: StudioCanal Number of Cassettes: 3 RRP: Unknown   Episodes — Series 4: Silent Dust Room Without A View Small Game for Big Hunters The Girl from Auntie The Thirteenth Hole Quick-Quick Slow Death

 

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR: THE AVENGERS — ANNÉE 66 — COFFRET 2
69050789 2	Released: 24th January 2001 Distributor: StudioCanal Number of Cassettes: 3 RRP: Unknown   Episodes — Series 4: The Danger Makers A Touch of Brimstone What the Butler Saw The House That Jack Built A Sense of History How to Succeed... at Murder Honey for the Prince

 

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR: THE AVENGERS — ANNÉE 68 — VOLS. 1-3
Cat. No. Unknown	Released: 19th April 2001 Distributor: StudioCanal Number of Cassettes: 3 RRP: Unknown   Episodes — Series 6: Invasion of the Earthmen The Curious Case of the Countless Clues Split! Get-A-Way! Have Guns — Will Haggle Look — (Stop Me If You've Heard This One) But There Were These Two Fellers...

 

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR: THE AVENGERS — ANNÉE 68 — VOLS. 4-6
Cat. No. Unknown	Released: 19th April 2001 Distributor: StudioCanal Number of Cassettes: 3 RRP: Unknown   Episodes — Series 6: My Wildest Dream Whoever Shot Poor George Oblique Stroke XR40? You'll Catch Your Death All Done With Mirrors Super Secret Cypher Snatch Game False Witness

 

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR: THE AVENGERS — ANNÉE 65-66 COLLECTION

Cat No Unknown

Released: 2nd October 2001 Distributor: StudioCanal Number of Cassettes: 12 RRP: Unknown     Episodes — Complete Series 4: The Town of No Return The Grave-Diggers The Cybernauts Death at Bargain Prices Castle De'ath The Master Minds The Murder Market A Surfeit of H2O The Hour That Never Was Dial A Deadly Number Man-Eater of Surrey Green Two's A Crowd Too Many Christmas Trees Silent Dust The Girl from Auntie The Thirteenth Hole Quick-Quick Slow Death The Danger Makers The House That Jack Built Room Without A View Small Game for Big Hunters A Touch of Brimstone What the Butler Saw A Sense of History How to Succeed... at Murder Honey for the Prince

 

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR: THE AVENGERS — ANNÉE 67 COLLECTION

Cat No Unknown

Released: 2nd October 2001 Distributor: StudioCanal Number of Cassettes: 12 RRP: Unknown     Episodes — Complete Series 5: From Venus With Love The Fear Merchants Escape in Time The See-Through Man The Bird Who Knew Too Much The Winged Avenger The Living Dead The Hidden Tiger The Correct Way to Kill Never, Never Say Die Epic The Superlative Seven A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Station Something Nasty in the Nursery The Joker Who's Who??? Return of the Cybernauts Death's Door The £50,000 Breakfast Dead Man's Treasure You Have Just Been Murdered The Positive-Negative Man Murdersville Mission... Highly Improbable Episodes — Series 6: The Forget-Me-Knot

 

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR: THE AVENGERS — ANNÉE 69 — VOLS. 7-9
Cat. No. Unknown	Released: 17th October 2001 Distributor: StudioCanal Number of Cassettes: 3 RRP: Unknown   Episodes — Series 6: Noon Doomsday Legacy of Death They Keep Killing Steed Wish You Were Here Killer The Rotters

 

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR: THE AVENGERS — ANNÉE 69 — VOLS. 10-12
Cat. No. Unknown	Released: 17th October 2001 Distributor: StudioCanal Number of Cassettes: 3 RRP: Unknown   Episodes — Series 6: The Interrogators The Morning After Love All Take Me to Your Leader Stay Tuned Fog

 

CHAPEAU MELON ET BOTTES DE CUIR: THE AVENGERS — ANNÉE 69 — VOLS. 13-15
Cat. No. Unknown	Released: 17th October 2001 Distributor: StudioCanal Number of Cassettes: 3 RRP: Unknown   Episodes — Series 6: Who Was That Man I Saw You With? Pandora Thingumajig Homicide and Old Lace Requiem Take-Over Bizarre

Compiled by Alan Hayes
with thanks to Denis Kirsanov and Joris Royer

Back to Top