DARK MOON

The victim of demonic possession in this occult circus is the Bible's very own Mary Magdalene (here called ""Miriam""); her friends and relations are Biblical personages who've been given new avocations; and her exorcist is you-know-Who. As a child Miriam is invaded by an X-rated demon which sets her poor body to bumping and grinding. So, driven from her village, Miriam eventually rides with the hot current, becoming Jerusalem's prime courtesan. And one of her customers is Governor Pontius Pilate, a sporting sort who has lost his all to the Emperor in the Games because of Tiberius' magical dwarf; Pilate plans to recoup with help from a magical rabbi he's heard about--named Joshua. Predictably, the High Priest Caiaphas and the curiously intense priest Anninasis wish to remove the troublemaker Joshua, who's collecting a following. On the other hand, Herod (who bargains with Salome for John the Baptist's head because he thinks Joshua might actually be a reincarnated, vengeful John) is initially set on saving the rabbi. And Miriam--the unpossessed part of Miriam, that is--hopes that Joshua will cast out her demon. Thus, with wily pressure from Anninasis, the stage is set for Joshua's death--though reluctant Pontius plans a demi-crucifixion, saving Joshua for the Games (and Miriam and nice Judas have worked out a rescue via potions). But all these rescue attempts accidentally cancel each other out, Joshua dies, Judas is labeled a ""betrayer"" by the Zealots (who wanted a military coup), and Miriam must fight an astral battle with Satan: she'll win, of course, thanks to the spirit of dead Joshua/Jesus. With a helter-skelter diddling with the Good Book, hellfire sex, wafts of putrefaction, and dollops of gore-sweaty stuff for occult fanciers only.