The Aurora Encounter is a 1986 American Weird Western film directed by Jim McCullough Sr., written by Melody Brooke and Jim McCullough, Jr., and starring Jack Elam, Mickey Hays, Peter Brown, Carol Bagdasarian, and Dottie West. Its plot follows the residents of a small Texas town at the turn of the 20th century who are visited by an alien being after a UFO crashes in their town. The screenplay was based on the Aurora, Texas, UFO incident that allegedly occurred in 1897. Plot In 1897 Aurora, Texas, schoolteacher Alain Peebles inherits the town's failing newspaper after her father's death. Meanwhile, a UFO appears in the woods outside the town. Late at night, local resident Irene is startled by the appearance of a short alien-looking man at her window, followed by beams of light. Alain begins to investigate Irene's story to publish it in the newspaper, which causes Irene to become a pariah in town. Shortly after, one of Alain's students, Sue Beth, witnesses the UFO near a river, as well as the extraterrestrial. He leaves behind a strange crystal, which Beth brings to Alain to examine. Meanwhile, Charlie, a local drunk, encounters the extraterrestrial, whom he senses is benevolent and invites into his home. The two drink beer together and play checkers, though the alien does not speak. Alain's eagerness to cover the stories about the encounters frustrates Sheriff Ben, who believes it to be irresponsible journalism. Despite this, Alain travels to Austin to meet with the governor and discuss the incidents, but she is dismissed. Charlie continues to be visited by the extraterrestrial, but his claims are refuted by locals who consider his stories to be mere drunken ramblings. Sue Beth brings her classmates, Ginger and Becky, to a native burial ground where they find various animal bones painted and arranged on sticks. The ground suddenly collapses beneath them, and the girls find themselves trapped in a cavern containing ancient artifacts, hieroglyphs, and skeletons. This terrifies the young Ginger, and the girls panic further when the cave begins to collapse on them. Meanwhile, Texas Ranger Phillip Sheraton witnesses the UFO emerging nearby from the woods, and it causes his rifle to disappear in a beam of light. Before the cave entirely collapses on them, the girls are saved by the extraterrestrial, who is summoned by the crystal and causes the girls to levitate out of the cave to safety.