History Main / DramaticAlienVTOL

* Spielberg apparently loves this trope, it appears again in ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkull''. His buddy George Lucas borrows it for the scenes of the Star Destroyers lifting off in ''[[StarWars Attack of the Clones]]''. And ''his'' buddy [[AmericanGraffiti Ron Howard]] used it in ''{{Cocoon}}''.

* Also happens in ''Film/BackToTheFuture II'', although it was the flying time machine instead of an alien craft that time.

'''Krusty the Clown:''' Guess what kids?! Poochie's dead!\\

A bit of FridgeLogic turns this into a Justified Trope, as aliens without the [[SufficientlyAdvancedAliens sufficient advancement]] to teleport their ship all over the place can't expect every planet they land on to have a runway.

'''Lisa:''' I... guess.\\

''[kids all start cheering]''

A highlight of many movies, a point where the score, pacing and cinematography will often gang up and try to underscore the drama of the moment, is the DramaticAlienVTOL where we see an alien spaceship, like a chariot of the gods ascending or descending from heaven, make a Vertical Take-Off or Landing. It will fill the screen as the music swells and slowly take time to hover so that the camera can take {{Reaction Shot}}s of amazed onlookers. Sometimes there is some kind of added enviromental effect like water shaking, the wind blowing or [[DoNotAdjustYourSet radio signal static]]. You might not be able to make out the shape properly due to all the bright lights.

* The giant craft in ''Film/{{District 9}}'' subverts this with a ''permanent, stationary'' DramaticAlienVTOL [[SceneryGorn stuck in neutral over Johannesburg]] due to quarantine of the alien refugees aboard. [[FridgeLogic Oddly]], there are no human attempts to hang ladders off it or tow it away. But we do see documentary-style flashbacks to the ship's arrival.

-> This spaceship takes off really slowly. It's a little awkward.
-->-- Film/{{Paul}}

* Happens in ''Film/{{Paul}}'', with plenty of lampshading and some subversion. First is a scene with the characters gazing in amazement and wonder at bright lights flashing and spinning behind the trees, which turns out to be a helicopter carrying the BigBad. Then when the real alien spaceship comes in, it's apparently so quick and discrete we don't see it actually arrive. But it makes up for it with its dramatic departure, with Paul remarking that it takes a long time to take off, making the final goodbye awkward, and he asks the pilots, "Can't this thing take off any faster?"

* Spielberg did a lot to help make this trope. The climax of ''CloseEncountersOfTheThirdKind'' has the ship come in first, just as the bright lights at first with the shadow of the FlyingSaucer shape eventually becoming clearer as the three notes we've heard through the movie comes through the score. It lands and then the ramp opens and again a crack of light and then the shadows of the aliens themselves, stamping the image of TheGreys, in their first appearance on film, in our heads.

* The first view of [[BigBad Saren's dreadnought Sovereign]] in ''MassEffect'' is it landing, apparently without effort, vertically on Eden Prime. It later takes off in the same position, and in full view of the player. Unlike most of these examples, it isn't ponderous at all -- a ''two kilometer'' warship just up and leaves, as though it were a space taxi; an ominous indicator of just how powerful the ship really is.

[[Film/CloseEncountersoftheThirdKind http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/close-encounters-of-the-third-kind_202.jpg]]
[[caption-width:302:It looks something like this.]]

* In the episode 'Wormhole X-Treme' in ''{{Stargate SG-1}}'', the episode ends on this, with it forming the ending shot of the ShowWithinTheShow as well and with two techies lampshading the fact that it would be the money shot and the most lavish technical effect, likely to get a SFX Emmy. The ascending spacecraft itself, is genuinely impressive (which is part of why the lampshading works so well) with a shape more like a castle than anything aerodynamic, and the exhaust blowing a wind across the sands of the set.

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/close-encounters-of-the-third-kind_202.jpg

* The ending of ''{{Super 8}}'' when the alien ship departs into the night sky.
* Inverted in the beginning of ''TheFifthElement''. The Mondoshawan ship's arrival is very dramatic, but when it leaves it shoots rapidly up into the sky.

* An episode of ''SouthPark'' where an alien ship descends in the town, an obvious homage to Spielberg.

'''Itchy:''' Hi, Poochie! You look like you have something to say. Do you?

* In the episode ''Wormhole X-Treme'' in ''{{Stargate SG-1}}'', the episode ends on this, with it forming the ending shot of the ShowWithinTheShow as well and with two techies lampshading the fact that it would be the money shot and the most lavish technical effect, likely to get a SFX Emmy. The ascending spacecraft itself, is genuinely impressive (which is part of why the lampshading works so well) with a shape more like a castle than anything aerodynamic, and the exhaust blowing a wind across the sands of the set.

* ''{{Dynasty}}'' spin-off ''The Colbys'' (of all things) attempted one of these, but it was total {{Narm}}.

* This is how they actually "kill off" Poochie in ''TheItchyandScratchyShow''.
-->Poochie (with [[TheSimpsons Homer Simpson's]] voice): Itchy, Scratchy, I have something I have to say to you.
-->(Poochie is about to open his mouth, but stops moving)
-->Poochie: (with Roger Meyers Jr.'s voice): I have to go now. My planet needs me! (Poochie's cel is immediately pulled off the screen, followed by a title card saying "Note: Poochie died on his way back to his home planet")
-->Bart Simpson: Wow! Poochie's from another planet!
-->Krusty the Clown: Guess what kids?! Poochie's dead! (kids all start cheering)

* ''Film/{{ET|The Extraterrestrial}}'''s finally going home. The music swells, the bright lights of his egg shaped spacecraft bath him in an orange aura and after the ramp pulls in, it lifts off.

* The [[HumanAliens Vulcan]] ship in ''[[StarTrekFirstContact Star Trek: First Contact]]'' descends in the middle of the night, its landing lights illuminating the awed faces of the humans.

* A reverse example in the Russian film ''Film/HardToBeAGod'' based on a [[Literature/HardToBeAGod novel]] by the StrugatskyBrothers, where a climactic battle on a planet of primitive HumanAliens is stopped by everyone dropping to their knees, watching a descending human spaceship, lights an everything.

* The giant craft in ''{{District 9}}'' subverts this with a ''permanent, stationary'' DramaticAlienVTOL [[SceneryGorn stuck in neutral over Johannesburg]] due to quarantine of the alien refugees aboard. [[FridgeLogic Oddly]], there are no human attempts to hang ladders off it or tow it away. But we do see documentary-style flashbacks to the ship's arrival.

The sense of awe is often added to by the craft being of a very unplane like design. It will be [[BigDumbObject unfeasibly massive]] or perhaps a SpheroidDropship. It will also possibly be the most expensive visual effects shot in the movie.

A bit of FridgeLogic turns this into a Justified Trope, as aliens without the [[SufficientlyAdvancedAliens sufficient advancement]] to teleport their ship all over the place can't expect every planet they land on to have a runway.

* Spielberg did a lot to help make this trope. The climax of ''CloseEncountersOfTheThirdKind'' has the ship come in first, just as the bright lights at first with the shadow of the FlyingSaucer shape eventually becoming clearer as the three notes we've heard through the movie comes through the score. It lands and then the ramp opens and again a crack of light and then the shadows of the aliens themselves, stamping the image of {{the Greys}}, in their first appearance on film, in our heads.

* The alien motherships in ''IndependenceDay'' are [[TakeMeToYourLeader mistaken for dramatic]] when they shine giant energy beams over [[MonumentalDamage strategic buildings]] across the world.

* It happens in the original ''Film/{{Stargate}}'' movie when Ra's ship descends on the pyramid. You see them use the pyramid as a landing pad which means the ship must be something that plants itself [[AncientAstronauts on a pyramid]] and uses [[ThatsNoMoon something that big]] as a landing pad.
** In the episode ''Wormhole X-Treme'' in ''{{Stargate SG-1}}'', the episode ends on this, with it forming the ending shot of the ShowWithinTheShow as well and with two techies lampshading the fact that it would be the money shot and the most lavish technical effect, likely to get a SFX Emmy. The ascending spacecraft itself, is genuinely impressive (which is part of why the lampshading works so well) with a shape more like a castle than anything aerodynamic, and the exhaust blowing a wind across the sands of the set.
** Also used in the episode "Thor's Chariot." SG-1 has just been captured by Jaffa on an Asgard protected planet and are being escorted to certain doom when a perfectly clear day suddenly becomes dark and stormy and, as everyone watches in awe (and fear, in the case of the Jaffa), an Asgard mothership appears and begins scooping the Jaffa up in seconds. Thus Thor not only shows off his [[CoolShip incredibly powerful ship]], [[BigDamnHeroes but saves the day as well]].
* The pilot of ''Series/{{Alf}}''.
* Spielberg apparently loves this trope, it appears again in ''Film/IndianaJonesAndTheKingdomOfTheCrystalSkull''.

* His buddy George Lucas borrows it for the scenes of the Star Destroyers lifting off in ''[[StarWars Attack of the Clones]]''.
** And ''his'' buddy [[AmericanGraffiti Ron Howard]] used it in ''{{Cocoon}}''.
* The [[HumanAlien Vulcan]] ship in ''[[StarTrekFirstContact Star Trek: First Contact]]'' descends in the middle of the night, its landing lights illuminating the awed faces of the humans.
* An episode of ''SouthPark'' where an alien ship descends in the town, an obvious homage to Spielberg.

* ''{{Dynasty}}'' spin-off ''The Colbys'' (of all things) attempted one of these, but it was total {{Narm}}.

* This is how they actually "kill off" Poochie in ''TheItchyandScratchyShow''.
-->Poochie (with [[TheSimpsons Homer Simpson's]] voice): Itchy, Scratchy, I have something I have to say to you.
-->(Poochie is about to open his mouth, but stops moving)
-->Poochie: (with Roger Meyers Jr.'s voice): I have to go now. My planet needs me! (Poochie's cel is immediately pulled off the screen, followed by a title card saying "Note: Poochie died on his way back to his home planet")
-->Bart Simpson: Wow! Poochie's from another planet!
-->Krusty the Clown: Guess what kids?! Poochie's dead! (kids all start cheering)

* ''{{ET}}'''s finally going home. The music swells, the bright lights of his egg shaped spacecraft bath him in an orange aura and after the ramp pulls in, it lifts off.

* Spielberg apparently loves this trope, it appears again in the fourth IndianaJones film.
* Also happens in ''BackToTheFuture II'', although it was the flying time machine instead of an alien craft that time.

* This is how they actually "kill off" [[ThePoochie Poochie]] in ''TheItchyandScratchyShow''.

-->-- {{Paul}}

* Happens in ''{{Paul}}'', with plenty of lampshading and some subversion. First is a scene with the characters gazing in amazement and wonder at bright lights flashing and spinning behind the trees, which turns out to be a helicopter carrying the BigBad. Then when the real alien spaceship comes in, it's apparently so quick and discrete we don't see it actually arrive. But it makes up for it with its dramatic departure, with Paul remarking that it takes a long time to take off, making the final goodbye awkward, and he asks the pilots, "Can't this thing take off any faster?"