Is That a Mel Brooks Joke in the New Frankenstein Trailer?

By Anne Cohen August 18, 2015

Among the many iconic lines from Mel Brooks’ “Young Frankenstein,” (“Walk this way;” “Would you like to roll in the hay;” “Frau Blucher”) one always stands out for me. It’s the one spoken by Dr. Frederick Frankenstein when, upon meeting his assistant Igor for the first time, he corrects his pronunciation. The exchange goes as follows:

IGOR: “Dr. Frankenstein.”

FRANKENSTEIN: “Frankensteen.”

IGOR: “You’re putting me on.”

FRANKENSTEIN: “No it’s pronounced Frankensteen.” etc, etc.

Here’s the clip, just for kicks:

Now, compare that to the back-and-forth repartee which takes place about halfway through for “Victor Frankenstein,” the latest iteration of Mary Shelley’s monster to hit the big screen.

POSSIBLE LOVE INTEREST/ PRETTY LADY: “Are you not afraid to challenge the natural order, M. Frankensteen?”

FRANKENSTEIN (played by James McAvoy): “No. And it’s Frankenstein.”

The new film promises to be a whole new take on the Frankenstein story, but if that’s not a wink to Mel Brooks’ movie, I don’t know what is.

In other MOT news, notice Daniel Radcliffe, cast as a very straight-backed Igor, last name “Strausman.” Mel Brooks jokes and a very possibly Jewish Igor? I’m in.

Anne Cohen was the Forward’s deputy digital media editor. When she’s not looking for the secret Jewish history of Voodoo in New Orleans, or making lists about Ruth Bader Ginsburg, she writes for The Assimilator. She graduated from the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism with an M.S. magazine concentration in 2012.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO