"Welcome to Sanctuary" by Israfel

The Howling VI

They're creepy and they're kooky,
Mysterious and spooky,
They're all together ooky,
Harker's Family...

Their house is a museum
Where people come to see 'em

They really are a scream
Harker's Family..

Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to meet the.....no, not the Addams Family* (perhaps you recognized the lyrics :) ). The Addams Family-- Gomez, Morticia, Uncle Fester, Lurch and Cousin Itt are Ward, June, Wally and Beaver  Cleaver compared to Harker and his "family."

The Circus is coming to town and it ain't Ringling Bros., Barnum and Bailey...When Harker's Circus and Museum of Oddities sets up its tents, you better not dawdle too long...Stay away from the shadows...Pray that you don't become prey...

The owner, R.B. Harker,** is a most peculiar fellow--he only comes out at night...Do you want to meet him?...Are you sure that's a good idea?...Then, we "bid you welcome..."

The jaded among you may imagine that by the time a franchise gets to Number VI, it is likely to be very tired indeed.  If so, you haven't seen Bruce Payne in The Howling VI.  Whatever the merits of the film per se (and plausibility is not necessarily one of them), Bruce's performance is suberb.  Never has there been a vampire so unctuously creepy yet so fiendishly seductive...And that sinister silky voice....

"Bruce Payne is wonderful as Harker. R. B. Harker played by Bruce Payne is the one thing that makes this film watchable. His unrepentantly evil Harker is wonderful, aristocratic, neither over or underplayed. In the traditional style, he sleeps in earth of his native soil, comes out at night and is killed by a stake through the heart. Harker metamosphoses into a pointy eared blue monster hideously deformed reminiscent of the 1922 Nosferatu, with the long talons. He wields power over the freaks, but can charm normal people. Alas, he is not introduced until 20 minutes into the film, and he is never explicitly referred to as a vampire which is a shame, more vampiric activity please!"

Source: www.vampiremovies.co.uk/reviews/howling6.htm

 Ian, a mysterious young man who shows up in town, is investigating Harker and  his circus.  Will he be discovered?  What will he find?  What will Harker do to Ian's friend Elizabeth?

Like a snake charmer, Harker wields a strange power over the members of the circus. He calls them his family and tells them that he has created a sanctuary for them--a place for "freaks" to be safe.  But are they safe?  Why does he call the Alligator Boy an "incredible specimen?"  Why does he only come out at night? Why do visitors disappear?   What happens to Ian?

 If you are ready to be creeped out by the most deliciously sinister and seductive vampire since the Master himself--Bela Lugosi--you will want to see this film. And Bruce doesn't even wear a cape...

"Howling VI is the best one they've ever made! "Drive-In Academy Award nominations for Bruce Martyn Payne, as Harker the freak show owner!"

Source: Monstervision's Joe Bob Briggs
www.angelfire.com/mn/nn/Howling6.html

 Glowing comments from reviewers on  the IMDb The Howling VI page:

"The real star of the film, though, is Bruce Payne who is once again amazing to watch as the bad guy."

"Harker (Bruce Payne) is undoubtedly the most interesting of them all and the revelation of his true nature
 - while a little hard to digest at first - is the one that chills."

"Bruce Payne is great as his usual evil self."

"Bruce Payne's performance as the main villain, Harker, being quite enjoyable."