Georgie Denbrough | |
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It character | |
![]() Jackson Robert Scott as Georgie in It (2017) | |
First Episode Appearance | It (1986) |
Final Episode Appearance | It Chapter Two (2019) |
Created by | Stephen King |
Character played by | 1990 miniseries: Tony Dakota 2017 film and 2019 sequel: Jackson Robert Scott |
In-universe information | |
Occupation | Child |
Family |
|
Home | Derry, Maine, United States |
George "Georgie" Elmer Denbrough is a fictional character created by Stephen King from his 1986 horror novel, It. Georgie is the younger brother of Bill Denbrough, who falls prey to Pennywise The Dancing Clown. He is used by Pennywise to taunt Bill throughout the novel. Georgie is portrayed by Tony Dakota in the 1990 miniseries adaptation and by Jackson Robert Scott in the 2017 re-adaptation and reprises his role in the 2019 sequel. Dakota also reprised his role for a short film titled Georgie which shows a "What If" scenario if Georgie had survived his encounter with Pennywise.[1]
Fictional character biography[]
George Elmer "Georgie" Denbrough was born September 18th, 1951 (1953 in the miniseries and 1981 in the film adaptation) to Zach and Sharon Denbrough, and is the younger brother of Bill Denbrough. Georgie has a very positive relationship with his brother, considering him to be his best friend.
Encounter with Pennywise[]
On one October night in 1957, (1960 in the miniseries and 1988 in the film series), Georgie makes a paper boat with his brother on a rainy day. Bill is too sick to accompany Georgie outside, so he helps him make the boat and sends him on his way. The boat ends up falling down a storm drain, much to Georgie's dismay. Georgie then encounters Pennywise the Dancing Clown in the storm drain, who offers him a balloon, and tells him about how "we all float down here" ("down here" meaning the sewers.) The Clown offers Georgie his boat back, but when Georgie attempts to reach out to it, Pennywise grabs Georgie's arm and bites it off, leaving Georgie to bleed to death in the rain as Pennywise chants "You'll float too". [2]
Being used by Pennywise[]
Not long after his death, Georgie's ghost would be utilized by Pennywise to taunt Bill. Constantly using Georgie as a way of getting to Bill emotionally. This is best exemplified in the 2017 film adaptation. Georgie appears to Bill several times throughout the movie and the sequel.[3]
Adaptations[]
1990 miniseries[]
Georgie was portrayed by Tony Dakota in the 1990 miniseries adaptation. This iteration remains faithful to the source material, however Georgie is killed by Pennywise off-screen, due to being a television miniseries, graphic scenes such as the death of young Georgie wouldn't have been allowed to have been shown on television.[4]
Film series[]
Georgie was portrayed by Jackson Robert Scott in the 2017 re-adaptation of King's novel as well as it's 2019 sequel. This adaptation of the character features the onscreen demise of Georgie, as well as showing more of Pennywise using Georgie to affect Bill psychologically. Behind the scenes of the film, the young actor stated that he was not afraid of Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise, and in fact formed a bond with the actor. Scott's performance as Georgie was acclaimed by fans and critics.[5][6][7][8]
Death and controversy[]
The violent nature of Georgie's death in It received a polarizing response from some critics. While most felt that the graphic nature of Georgie's death was necessary to show the danger of Pennywise, some viewers felt that Pennywise ripping a poor innocent child's arm off and watching Georgie desperately attempt to crawl away was seen by some as being "downright disturbing" and "too graphic".[9][10][11]
Short film[]
Georgie is the main character of a 2019 short film titled Georgie directed by Ryan Grulich with Tony Dakota reprising his role. This short film shows an undead adult Georgie resurrected via drawing. This is the only adaptation to show Georgie as an adult.[12][13][14][15][16]
Analysis[]
Throughout the novel and films, Pennywise uses the "ghost of Georgie" to inflict Survivor's Guilt onto Bill Denbrough. This is further explored in It Chapter Two, where Bill blames himself for Georgie's death. Exemplified in a scene in which the adult Bill returns to the storm drain where Georgie was murdered. The scene progresses into a flashback where Pennywise's disembodied voice taunts Bill for not being present with Georgie when he died. The adult Bill struggles with posttraumatic stress disorder due to Georgie's death, and attempts to do whatever is possible to prevent Pennywise from killing another young boy named Dean, to no avail.[17][18][19] Georgie has also been seen as an interpretation of the way children are lured by predators. Notably seen in Georgie's encounter with Pennywise at the storm drain.[20]
In popular culture[]
The character of Georgie has become an iconic figure in the horror genre. The character's distinctive yellow raincoat with the paper boat the "S.S. Georgie" have become staples of the horror franchise. Georgie's icon status is unique considering the character is not a horror film villain such as Pennywise, Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers. The character has also been referenced many times in different forms of media. The character is mentioned numerous times by metalcore band Ice Nine Kills in their song "IT Is The End", which is based on the 2017 film adaptation of the novel. The song is from the album The Silver Scream, in which each song on the album is based on a different horror film.[21][22] The scene where Georgie meets Pennywise in the 1990 miniseries has become an internet meme depicting Pennywise attempting to coerce Georgie to come down to the sewers with different things.[23] Georgie was also referenced in King's novel 11/22/63.[24]
References[]
- ↑ Cotter, Padraig (2019-04-29). "The Georgie Storm Drain Scene From IT: Book Vs 2017 Movie". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
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: - ↑ Kennedy, Michael (2019-12-14). "IT Chapter Two: What "You Lied & I Died" Means". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
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: - ↑ Stephen King. It. Viking Press. https://books.google.com.au/books?id=iCWgDwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=georgie+denbrough&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwibkNKLpMbmAhWOILcAHerqDicQ6AEIQDAD#v=onepage&q=georgie%20denbrough&f=false.
- ↑ Dick, Jeremy (2018-08-11). "Georgie: IT fan film will bring back mini-series actor Tony Dakota". 1428Elm. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
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: - ↑ Colyard, K.W. (2017-08-26). "The 'IT' Movie Will Include That 'Gruesome' Child Murder Scene — But With A Catch". Bustle. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
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: - ↑ Breznican, Anthony (March 29, 2017). "A Paper Boat". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on March 30, 2017. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
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: - ↑ (in en) 🍭 Jackson Robert Scott co-stars with Bill Skarsgård (Pennywise) & describes him with & no makeup, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmKLb1KczPI, retrieved 2019-10-02
- ↑ Valenti, Julia (2017-09-12). "'IT' star Jackson Robert Scott attends screening as Georgie". Fanfest. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
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: - ↑ Berkowitz, Joe (2017-09-09). "We Need To Talk About The Opening Scene Of 'It'". Fast Company. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
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: - ↑ Klassen, Anna (2017-09-06). "Why Georgie's Death In The 2017 'It' Remake Is Even More Gruesome Than The Original". Bustle. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
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: - ↑ Coates, Tyler (2017-09-08). "The New Version of It Is Shockingly Violent". Esquire. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
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: - ↑ Squires, John (2019-06-10). "[Video] Short Film 'Georgie' Brings the Star of the Original 'IT' Miniseries Back to Derry!". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 2019-11-11.
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: - ↑ Burlingame, Russ (2019-06-10). "Original Georgie Actor Returns for IT Fan Film". Comicbook.com. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
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: - ↑ Grove, David N. (2018-08-30). "'IT' Actor Reprising Georgie Denbrough Role in 'Georgie'". iHorror. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
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: - ↑ Squires, John (2018-08-10). "Georgie Actor From the Original 'IT' Miniseries is Reprising the Role for a Fan Made Short Film!". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
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: - ↑ Squires, John (2019-03-06). "Short Film 'Georgie,' Starring Original 'IT' Miniseries Actor, Premiering at the Boston Underground Film Festival". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
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: - ↑ Leishmann, Rachel (2019-09-09). "Bill in IT Chapter 2 Is a Great Exploration of Survivor's Guilt". The Mary Sue. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
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: - ↑ Murphy, Mekado (2019-09-06). "How 'It Chapter Two' Revisits a Drain of Terror". The New York Times. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
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: - ↑ https://books.google.com.au/books?id=pu9aAAAAMAAJ&q=georgie+denbrough&dq=georgie+denbrough&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiR9JOx_sXmAhUr8XMBHa1EBPAQ6AEIVzAG
- ↑ Mooney, Darren (2019-09-06). "It Parallels Stand by Me for a Horrifying Coming-of-Age Film". Escapist Magazine. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
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: - ↑ Price, Joe (2018-03-02). "Georgie From 'It' Is About to Become Horror's 'It' Boy". Complex. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
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: - ↑ "See Ice Nine Kills Hail Pennywise In Grisly New "It Is The End" Video". Revolver. 2019-09-24. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
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: - ↑ "Pennywise in the Sewer - Hey Georgie Want a Balloon". Know Your Meme. Retrieved 2019-12-21.
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: - ↑ https://books.google.com.au/books?id=BefswwEACAAJ&dq=georgie+denbrough&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiDvLrFiMbmAhUL_XMBHdJMCIsQ6AEIaTAJ
Stephen King's It | ||
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Characters | It (Pennywise the Dancing Clown) • Bill Denbrough • Beverly Marsh • Richie Tozier • Eddie Kaspbrak • Georgie Denbrough | |
Adaptations | Film series | It (2017) • It Chapter Two (2019) |
Television | It (1990) • Woh (1998) |
Template:Characters created by Stephen King