The comic first appeared in 1996 in two versions - one on the pages of the skateboarding magazine Ślizg as representative of the rebellious subculture, illustrating many of the problems it faces. The second appeared as a toned-down addressed to younger children in the primary school magazine Świerszczyk, where the adventures were influenced by well-known fairy tales and legends.
Since 2002, the comic has been published in book form, highly esteemed not only by a group of devoted fans, but by juries of numerous comic book festivals and conventions. In 2008, its creators - writer Rafał Skarżycki and illustrator Tomasz Leśniak accepted an offer to adapt George to the screen. The task was taken on by fourteen enthusiasts, and the result of their efforts is a feature-length animated film. Addressed to adults - because of the mature nature of humour and irony and macabre themes, which take an insider's look at contemporary Polish reality.
It would have been hard to expect anything different: The hero resembles a hedgehog, but is strongly anthropomorphised, presented as a typical member of skateboarding culture. He drinks too much alcohol and experiments with drugs. At the same time he is a sex addict, frolicking with a female friend from childhood - who happens to be married. He lives in a block of flats and leads a local war with neighbourhood skinheads and owners of Asian fast food joints.
The most interesting thing is that, despite its three-year production period, the film retains a tenable timeliness The barbed hero wanders from his married lover Yola to his admirer Lilka, a prostitute, avoiding the pitfalls pledged by the bloodthirsty Asian foodservice industry representatives and skinheads. The latter act on behalf of a mad scientist who wishes to replace George with a clone generated from his genes.
Meanwhile, a populist politician dreams of power, and wants to capitalise on the popularity of the clone. While the storyline and characters are certainly exagerrated, George, a romantic and cynical rebel at heart, is a true anti-hero in the rather familiar world of corrupt politicians, glorified celebrities and xenophobes all around us. As Piotr Pluciński writes in the March issue Kino magazine "Walking through reality's trail of absurdities, Jerzy is a balloon full of frustrations that are familiar to all of us".
Konrad J. Zarębski, March 2011
Jeż Jerzy (Poland 2010). Screenplay: Rafał Skarżycki. Direction: Wojtek Wawszczyk, Kuba Tarkowski, Tomek Leśniak. Music: Jan Duszyński, Jacek Szymkiewicz. Animation: Tomek Nowik, Kamil "Kurt" Kochański, Olaf Ciszak, Mariusz Arczewski, Janusz Ordon, Wojtek Jakubowski, Anka Błaszczyk. Editing: Wojciech Włodarski. Sound: Mateusz Adamczyk, Sebastian Witkowski. Voice acting: Borys Szyc (George the hedgehog), Maria Peszek (Yola), Jarosław Boberek (Assistant), Grzegorz Pawlak (Professor), Leszek Teleszyński (Politician), Sokół (Stefan), Michał Koterski (Zenek), Wojtek Wawszczyk (Clone), Marcin Hycnar (Krzyś). Production: Paisa Films, Film Produkcja, Warszawska Szkoła Filmowa. Co-financed: Polski Instytut Sztuki Filmowej. Distribution: Monolith Films. Running time: 80 min. In cinemas March 11, 2011.