The "Ecofreaks" Archive

This page is for anyone who was in the vicinity of Culterty Field Station and/or the Zoology Department in the mid-1980s and remembers the various cartoons and videos (allegedly) about life at that time. I guess you have to have been there although, as it is said of the 1960s, if you can remember it you probably weren't there (or at least you wish you weren't!). If you were there, this is a reminder of what's available. Copies on request.

Miscellaneous cast and crew view playback of their latest "artistic" creation (the 1986 video) from the entrance way to the gentlemen's facilities, Zoology building. Photo by Andy Lucas. Left right: John Speakman, Greg Sharp, Neil Hamilton, Beth, Brendon Noble, Graham Pierce

• Cartoons
  • Astroweasel (1978-80). Possibly still makes sense to half a dozen graduates of Royal Holloway College.
  • The Culterty Chronicle (1981-86). Strictly for Culterty folk only!
  • Ecofreaks (1981-86). Ditto!
  • The Game of Rat & Rat (1986-89). The Zoology Department cartoon, which was soon superceded. An excerpt appear below.

   

  

Bogbean Bennett (1987-96). This appeared in the British Ecological Society's Bulletin for several years until they decided it wasn't serious enough.

• Films and videos
  • The Croquet Match (16mm Film, 1984). Thanks to Humphrey Crick, Moira Robertson, Steve Hull for assistance! Also, as with all the subsequent videos, it wouldn't have been possible without Andy Lucas' technical support. This short film was inspired by the late Professor George Dunnet and was first shown at the 1984 Culterty Workshop.

  • The Search for George (Video, 1985). The 1985 Culterty Workshop entertainment. Rather less successful than the previous year's film but marks Neil Hamilton, Brendon Noble and Augusto Vitale's first appearance on video - and it features the most boring car chase ever filmed. It even stopped at the traffic lights.

  • "Sniff" Logic perform "Speakman's Bitter" (Music Video, 1986). This one was really down to Neil Hamilton and the other band members. I just filmed it. Neil submitted it to a video competition on The Tube. Nothing happened (well, nothing except a very similar clip aired some time later).

  • One of These Bites (Video, 1987). This was the "entertainment" for after the Culterty "It's a Knockout" competition in 1987. Again, thanks to Augusto, Neil, Brendon, John Armstrong and the rest of the cast.

  • Aberdeen Conservation Volunteers (Promotional Video, 1988). Screened on Aberdeen Cable Television Access Channel. Rowena Mackenzie and Juliet Cross helped out with this one.

  • The Search for George (Remix) (Video, 1988). The re-working was to make it suitable(-ish) for transmission on Aberdeen Cable. Thanks to Ro for help with the editing.

  • Shot in the Dark (Video, 1990. Soundtrack also on cassette). This also appeared on Aberdeen Cable and made its stars briefly (in)famous! Thanks to Giles Davidson and Laura Hardie for sterling support during many lifetimes spent in the editing suite. Never again! [In fact, despite occasional plans to the contrary, that last wish has so far been granted]

John and Beth "on location" in the, er, gentlemen's facilities, during filming of the 1986 video. Photo by Andy Lucas.