History Main / BackgroundHalo

* ''Series/GameOfThrones'':
** The establishing shot of the "You win, or you die" scene shows Cersei in a DutchAngle with her head obscuring the sun, which appears to be a deliberate invocation of this trope. Of course, Cersei is anything but a saintly person.
** In "The Iron Throne", Drogo unfurls his dragon wings behind Queen Daenerys as she walks through the ruins of the Red Keep, making her appear to be a [[WingedHumanoid literal dragon queen]] or a FallenAngel.

* In ''Film/SherlockHolmes'', [[BigBad Lord Blackwood]] is highlighted by the ornate golden sunburst at the Temple of the Four Orders after [[spoiler:assuming its leadership]]. To complete the angelic imagery, he bids the other members not to be afraid. Of course, in his case, he is very much channeling [[{{Satan}} the fairest and fallen angel]].

Related to CrucifiedHeroShot, SymbolicWings and PietaPlagiarism.

* ''Disney/{{Cinderella}}'': When Cinderella is transformed into her iconic ballroom gown by the Fairy Godmother's magic, some of the magic dust used to make that gown actually gets thrown into the air and forms a halo around Cinderella's head.

* When Esmeralda comforts Quasimodo after he's been ridiculed at the Feast of Fools in ''Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'', as she is walking up to the torture wheel the villagers strapped Quasimodo on to make fun of him, the Sun can be seen shining from behind her head, giving her the appearance of wearing a halo.

* In ''File/BigTrouble'', Nina has been knocked out and rescued by Puggy. When she opens her eyes, he is back-lit with a halo around his head, making her think she has died and gone to heaven. Puggy gently lets her know this isn't true.

* In ''Film/SherlockHolmes'', [[BigBad Lord Blackwood]] is highlighted by the ornate golden sunburst at the Temple of the Four Orders after [[spoiler:assuming its leadership]]. To complete the angelic imagery, he bid the other members not to be afraid. Of course, in his case, he is very much channeling [[{{Satan}} the fairest and fallen angel]].

* In ''Film/TronLegacy'', when Flynn meditates on the Solar-Sailer, the light eminating from the engine forms a background halo around him. Rather appropriate considering that in the Grid, he quite literally ''is'' God.

* There is a literary political satire in which a US politician with an approval rating lower than Hitler attempts to improve his image by getting visual FX artists to add subliminal haloes to his TV appearances. It backfires when one of the haloes slips and looks like a noose round his neck.

** In [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E13ThePartingOfTheWays "The Parting of the Ways"]], the Ninth Doctor says to the Emperor Dalek "Am I gonna be one of your angels?" while an illuminated pattern of lines on the door behind him spreads out of his sides like wings.

* In the ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' episode "The Chute", Harry Kim and Tom Paris are in an inescapable prison where the inmates are given aggression-causing brain implants [[RatsInABox so they will turn on each other.]] One prisoner however remains calm, claiming that he's figured out the secret of controlling the implants. As he speaks to Harry (whom he wants to become his first disciple), a forcefield ring surrounding the bottom end of the Chute frames the top of his head, appearing as a halo. However when he moves his head slightly it also appears as a [[BigRedDevil pair of red horns]], leading to a [[DarkMessiah more ambiguous interpretation of his character]].

** Another faction of the Imperium of Man, the Sisters of Battle, often wear Iron Haloes as well, but even their Saints get actual halos upon ascending.
** Hell, after skulls and wings, haloes are one of the main symbols of the Imperium of Man.
** The Space Marines' evil cousins, the Chaos Space Marines, sometimes wear cursed haloes, especially the [[DarkMessiah Dark Apostles]], who administer the chaotic faith for their warband.

* Series/{{Sherlock}}: Mary gets background horns in one episode, {{foreshadowing}} that [[spoiler: she is not the nice, normal woman she appears to be, but a former assassin.]]

* Mary gets background horns in one episode of Series/{{Sherlock}}, {{foreshadowing}} that [[spoiler: she is not the nice, normal woman she appears to be, but a former assassin.]]

* Mary gets background horns in one episode of Series/Sherlock, {{foreshadowing}} that [[spoiler: she is not the nice, normal woman she appears to be, but a former assassin.]]

* An unusual variant occurs in an episode of ''Series/{{Spaced}}'', where Daisy momentarily feels guilty for lying to their landlady, and the camera frames her head in front of a fruit bowl with two bananas poking out, giving her devil-like horns.

* The establishing shot of the "You win, or you die" scene in ''Series/GameOfThrones'' shows Cersei in a DutchAngle with her head obscuring the sun, which appears to be a deliberate invocation of this trope. Of course, Cersei is anything but a saintly person.

* ''Series/GameOfThrones''. Drogo unfurls his dragon wings behind Queen Daenerys as she walks through the ruins of the Red Keep, making her appear to be a [[WingedHumanoid literal dragon queen]] or a FallenAngel.

* A subtle example in a classic episode of ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'', "A Passage for Trumpet", where a mysterious figure pulls a suicidal trumpet player(Jack Klugman) back from the DespairEventHorizon and gives him a second chance at life. Just before he leaves, Jack says, "I didn't get your name." He turns around and answers, "Call me Gabe. Short for [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Gabriel]]." As he says this, he is standing directly under an overhead lamp, the light from which resembles a halo over his head. The shot was framed intentionally for that effect.

* A promotional photograph for ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' depicts Dean with a full moon shining right behind hishead, creating a halo-like effect. Interestingly, in that same photograph, Sam is shown as having a snake, well... Snaking up his arm.
* A subtle example in a classic ''Series/TwilightZone'' episode, "A Passage for Trumpet", where a mysterious figure pulls a suicidal trumpet player(Jack Klugman) back from the DespairEventHorizon and gives him a second chance at life. Just before he leaves, Jack says, "I didn't get your name." He turns around and answers, "Call me Gabe. Short for [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Gabriel]]." As he says this, he is standing directly under an overhead lamp, the light from which resembles a halo over his head. The shot was framed intentionally for that effect.

* In ''Film/SherlockHolmes'', [[BigBad Lord Blackwood]] is highlighted by the ornate golden sunburst at the Temple of the Four Orders after [[spoiler:assuming its leadership]]. To complete the angelic imagery, he bides the other members not to be afraid. Of course, in his case, he is very much channeling [[{{Satan}} the fairest and fallen angel]].

* In the ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' episode "The Chute", Harry Kim and Tom Paris are in an inescapable prison where the inmates are given aggression-causing brain implants [[RatsInABox so they will turn on each other.]] One prison however remains calm, claiming that he's figured out the secret of controlling the implants. As he speaks to Harry (whom he wants to become his first disciple), a forcefield ring surrounding the bottom end of the Chute frames the top of his head, appearing as a halo. However when he moves his head slightly it also appears as a [[BigRedDevil pair of red horns]], leading to a [[DarkMessiah more ambiguous interpretation of his character]].

* In the ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'' episode "The Chute", there's a close-up shot of one of the prisoners who's figured out the secret of the aggression implants, where the force field ring surrounding the bottom end of the Chute frames the top of his head, appearing as a halo. However when he moves his head slightly it also appears as a [[BigRedDevil pair of red horns]], leading to a [[DarkMessiah more ambiguous interpretation of his character]].

* Inverted with the [[https://static.comicvine.com/uploads/scale_large/6/67663/5853043-03.jpgvolume 3 cover]] for ''Manga/SleepyPrincessInTheDemonCastle'', which has a blood-red crescent moon positioned in just the right spot to make it look like [[CuteButPsycho the princess]] has horns.

* Inverted with the volume 3 cover for ''Manga/SleepyPrincessInTheDemonCastle'', which has a blood-red crescent moon positioned in just the right spot to make it look like [[CuteButPsycho the princess]] has horns.

[[folder:Arts]]
* A 15th-century Netherlandish painting, [[http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/follower-of-robert-campin-the-virgin-and-child-before-a-firescreen The Virgin and Child Before a Firescreen]], uses the woven wicker firescreen as a halo for the Virgin Mary.

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
* Many of the backgrounds in ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretOfKells'', especially the drawings and diagrams on the walls of Abbot Cellach's study, form these for several different characters throughout the movie.
* In the church meeting scene in ''WesternAnimation/TheCurseOfTheWereRabbit'', Lady Tottingham has one as she advocates a non-violent approach to dealing with the Were-Rabbit. And Victor, who'd rather just shoot it, has Background Devil Horns.

* When Esmeralda comforts Quasimodo after he's been ridiculed at the Feast of Fools in ''Disney/TheHunchbackofNotreDame'', as she is walking up to the torture wheel the villagers strapped Quasimodo on to make fun of him, the Sun can be seen shining from behind her head, giving her the appearance of wearing a halo.

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]

* In ''Film/HistoryOfTheWorldPartI'' when Jesus has The Last Supper (with Creator/MelBrooks as a waiter), Creator/LeonardoDaVinci comes in to paint a commemorative portrait -- Brooks [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA1sx-vyWVk#t=1m47s holds his silver platter up behind Jesus to look like a halo.]]
* This technique was inverted in ''Film/TheShining'', with Jack shown with a black chandelier over his head, an "anti Halo", after he went crazy.
* [[http://www.zianet.com/jsager/Ra1.jpg Ra's outfit]] in ''Film/{{Stargate}}'' invokes a halo behind him. It's a Sun Disk to be exact, and it's probable that at least some Pharaohs actually wore them. It's also a candidate for the origin of the halo in the first place.
* Deliberate style choice in ''Franchise/StarWars: Film/ThePhantomMenace''. Most of Queen Amidala's costumes and background settings create a circular halo around her head.

* Happens very often in ''Film/TheFifthElement''.
* Glenn Close's Iris character pulls this off with the sun shining through her hat in ''Film/TheNatural''.

* Used in ''Film/StarshipTroopers3Marauder'', where the devoutly religious assistant of now traitor Omar Anoke Holly begs Johnny Rico's no-nonsense atheist ActionGirlfriend Lola Beck to [[PrayerIsALastResort pray in their hopeless situation]]. As Behemecoatl, a planet-sized "[[AGodAmI God of bugs]]", prepares to devour them and assimilate their knowledge, Lola sees seven lights of light appears in the night sky as a halo around Holly's head, which are in fact a [[TheCavalry unit of advanced]] [[MiniMecha Marauder mechs]] [[ItsRainingMen dropping from orbit]] who bomb the God Bug and hundreds of Warrior Bugs. This convinces Lola to convert to Christianity, which the Federation then use to better control the masses.

* In Creator/DannyBoyle's ''Film/{{Millions}}'', the bad guy is never seen without a black woolly hat on -- possibly a balaclava partly rolled up - which forms a dark halo around his head. Entirely deliberate per the [[WordOfGod commentary track]] on the DVD.

* In the ''Theatre/RichardII'' installment of ''Series/TheHollowCrown'', this is very much an InvokedTrope to go with Richard's carefully fostered messianic persona.
* A production photo for ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'' shows Gordon standing in front of a neon church sign so that Jesus's Halo is directly over his head. Presumably, they filmmakers felt it would be too blatant to put in the movie, but it's worth remembering that in Film/TheDarkKnight he [[spoiler: faked his own death and "came back" to save Batman.]]
* ''Film/{{W}}'': While praying after giving the order to invade Iraq, [[HitlerCam a low-angle shot]] makes a light in the ceiling look like a halo around Bush's head, and then the light goes off.

* ''Film/ScannerCop'': When Sam Staziak is officially inducted into the LAPD, the police logo behind him is framed to look like a halo.
* In ''File/BigTrouble'', Nina has been knocked out and rescued by Puggy. When she opens her eyes, he is back-lit with a halo around his head, making her think she has died and gone to heaven. Puggy gently lets her know this isn't true.
* In the film version of ''Literature/MommieDearest'', when Joan Crawford holds baby Christina for the first time, the top French window behind her form a sort of halo over her head, turning the shot into some sort of a perversion of a Blessed Virgin Icon.

* A promotional photograph for ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' depicts Dean with a full moon shining right behind hishead, creating a halo-like effect. Interestingly, in that same photograph, Sam is shown as having a snake, well... Snaking up his arm.
* An unusual variant occurs in an episode of ''Series/{{Spaced}}'', where Daisy momentarily feels guilty for lying to their landlady, and the camera frames her head in front of a fruit bowl with two bananas poking out, giving her devil-like horns.

* A subtle example in a classic ''Series/TwilightZone'' episode, "A Passage for Trumpet", where a mysterious figure pulls a suicidal trumpet player(Jack Klugman) back from the DespairEventHorizon and gives him a second chance at life. Just before he leaves, Jack says, "I didn't get your name." He turns around and answers, "Call me Gabe. Short for [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Gabriel]]." As he says this, he is standing directly under an overhead lamp, the light from which resembles a halo over his head. The shot was framed intentionally for that effect.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
** In "The Daemons", during several of the Master's devil-summoning scenes, a circle of candles on the ceiling is shot to frame him like a halo.
** The opposite version -- in "City of Death", there's a scene where the Fourth Doctor is forced to his knees by a man with a rapier who has taken him prisoner. The whole scene is shot so that the horns on an ibex skull mounted on the wall [[http://i.imgur.com/pnQjJrF.jpg appear to be coming out of the Doctor's head]] as he [[DefiantCaptive looks on defiantly]].
** In the first episode of the ''Series/DoctorWho'' 2005 revival, [[Recap/DoctorWhoS27E1Rose "Rose"]], [[TheNthDoctor the 9th Doctor]] is shown with his head framed by the London Eye (a huge ferris wheel).
** In "The Parting of the Ways", the Ninth Doctor says to the Emperor Dalek "and I'm one of your angels?" while an illuminated pattern of lines on the door behind him spreads out of his side like wings.
* Jesse gets two in ''Series/BreakingBad''. The first is a dark halo caused by the woofer of an enormous speaker he slouches in front of as he dwells on his complicity in a death. The second is caused by the inset of a playground carousel.
* ''Series/{{Lucifer}}''. In "God Johnson", Lucifer confronts an inmate in a mental hospital who believes that he is God. Although Lucifer's powers don't work on him for some reason, Lucifer is not impressed by this apparent nutcase and goes to leave -- until Johnson addresses him by his true name. When Lucifer turns to look at Johnson in shock, the sunlight shining through the blinds behind Johnson provide a subtle version of this trope.
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer''. When Buffy is resurrected from the dead at the start of Season Six, she's walking through a graveyard and due to the camera angle appears to have the wings of an angel statue growing from her back. [[spoiler:This foreshadows TheReveal that she was brought back from Heaven, not from some terrible hell dimension as her friends supposed.]]
* ''Series/{{Danger 5}}''. MadScientist Dr Mengele gives virginal ActionGirl Claire the [[ScarpiaUltimatum choice of sleeping with him]] or seeing her friends thrown to the mutants. A pair of lab coats hung up behind Mengele give the appearance of horns.
* ''Series/JaneTheVirgin'' does this in its advertising, setting the titular Jane against things like the setting sun to form such a halo in order to emphasize her virginity and Catholic upbringing and how this contrasts with the SurprisePregnancy plot.

* A group of black lights behind Music/JayZ in the video for "On to the Next One" gives him a weird pseudo-Satanic background halo. It fits the creepy vibe of the video, which also features gooey skulls, Baphomet, and {{Monster Clown}}s.