Gary Hinge is an outdoors and survival enthusiast who regularly travels to remote locations on solo backcountry hiking excursions. He often blogs about his adventures.
After Gary returned home from one such expedition claiming that someone was stalking him, his online followers pressure him to return to the desert to prove his story. He does so, but is attacked by a deformed monstrous stranger.
Disappearance
Gary Hinge is an outdoor enthusiast and survivalist who disappeared in the Nevada desert three years ago. After a months-long investigation, no sign of him was ever found. But a documentary crew has recently caught up with his family and friends in hopes of uncovering new leads. The footage they have discovered is shocking – Gary was definitely killed by this deformed monstrous stranger.
The film starts by establishing the background story of Gary. In one of his last videos, he claims that he recently visited a mysterious cabin in the desert and noticed a strange burning smell. He also said that he felt watched and followed on his way back to his truck. Gary then warns his subscribers to never visit the place on their own.
But his viewers are not convinced. Many of them wonder why he would reveal such an important detail to the public without any evidence or proof. They also argue that he is too knowledgeable to be a fake. Despite this, some people insist on seeing the location for themselves.
When Gary’s rucksack is discovered by campers, they find his severed hand inside of it, holding his camera. But no fingerprints or other identifying marks match any records. Police also discover that there was no cell phone signal in the area where the body was found. In addition, the truck was found with a broken window and barefoot footprints that did not match Gary’s.
The next video shows Gary’s final visit to the deserted cottage. He explains that he decided to return because of the strange feeling of impending danger that he had experienced in the past. He is cautious to make sure that no one can follow him and is careful not to leave any footprints on the rocky ground. However, he is eventually spotted by a figure with severe physical deformities that attacks him and the camera stops recording.
The film’s fake-documentary style and beautiful landscapes are used to elicit unbearable anticipation. Combined with the state of Nevada’s sinister reputation for conspiracies and its ominous topography, this creates an atmosphere of pure terror. The documentary also tries to appeal to our primitive fears by using the “found footage” narrative style popularized by the Blair Witch Project.
Attack
Gary Hinge (Eric Mencis) is a YouTube influencer who disappears while on an expedition in the Nevada desert. His disappearance triggers a police investigation and his friends and followers begin searching for him. The film uses a mixture of talking heads, drone footage, fictional found footage, and a YouTube vlog to tell his story.
The film begins with black-and-white footage of clouds moving over the Nevada desert. It then shifts to color as a woman calls 911 about her missing brother. The film then transitions to a documentary style interview with Gary’s roommate Simon and sister Beverly. They reveal that he was planning to visit a cabin in the desert, which he had discovered on a previous hiking trip. They also disclose that he recently published a video about a strange encounter with a mysterious creature in the desert.
After Gary’s disappearance, the authorities conduct a search of his vehicle and discover some suspicious evidence. They find his backpack in the desert, as well as a tape of him discussing a strange creature. They also find a note stating that he left the cave. The note also says that he did not want to risk his life for the sake of a video.
Several viewers of Gary’s videos pressure him to return and prove that he did not lie about the cave. However, he is afraid to expose the location of the cave for fear of enticing inexperienced hikers to the area. He publishes a final video in which he explains his reasons for not returning to the cave.
Upon his arrival at the site, Gary confirms that it is the same cabin from his earlier video. While recording its exterior, he becomes aware of a human silhouette moving towards him. He tries to flee the situation, but he is eventually spotted by a human-like being with severe physical deformities. The creature attacks him, and the camera stops recording. He is then dragged away by the deformed monstrous being.
Killer
Gary Hinge was an outdoorsy survival enthusiast who disappeared while hiking in the Nevada desert. He regularly ventured into the wilderness on survival quests for days at a time and frequently blogged about his adventures. After returning from one expedition he claimed to have seen a strange looking cabin in the distance. He shared the story with his online followers, but soon found himself under attack from a group of people who discredited his claim or demanded proof of it. Under pressure to return and prove his story, he set off on another hike in search of the cabin.
During his hike he comes across an uncanny-looking cabin in the middle of the desert. He begins to film the site, but is interrupted when a large figure approaches him. The creature is human-like, but with severe physical deformities. After a short confrontation, the camera stops recording and Gary flees the area. Gary’s housemate Simon Rodgers alerts his sister Beverly, and the police are notified of the disappearance.
The indie horror film Horror in the High Desert was released in March 2021. It uses a pseudo-documentary format to move the plot along, utilizing interviews with people familiar with the case and intermittent brief videos that Gary himself took. This style of storytelling works well for this type of movie, as it adds a level of authenticity that increases the audience’s interest in the story.
It’s not clear who killed Gary Hinge, but it’s believed he was attacked by a supernatural entity that was protecting a sacred space. The film references abandoned mining shafts and Native American artifacts, which makes it fair to assume the attacker was a ghost from the region’s past. Hinge was genuinely excited about and respectful of the spaces he was charting, but a spirit from the desert may have seen him as an intruder that must be stopped.
Despite a massive months-long police search, no sign of Gary has ever been located. Speculation has swirled about what could have happened to him, with some theorizing that he was captured by aliens or taken by a government conspiracy. It’s also possible that he was murdered by a cultist who was obsessed with his YouTube channel and his followers.
Conclusion
Three years ago, outdoor enthusiast and survival vlogger Gary Hinge disappeared in the Nevada high desert. Despite a massive search, no sign of him has ever been found. Now, a documentary team is interviewing those closest to him to find out what really happened. Horror In The High Desert (2021) is a pseudo-documentary style found footage mystery thriller that’s surprisingly unnerving. It takes advantage of Nevada’s ominous reputation for conspiracies, and mixes it with menacing geographical attributes to create a truly terrifying story. The film stars Eric Mencis as the missing hiker, and features an excellent performance by him as well as a solid supporting cast that includes his sister Beverly, his roommate Simon, and his hired private investigator Bill.
The documentary format isn’t always the best choice for a found footage movie, but it works well in this case. It allows the filmmakers to show us everything Gary saw on his trip, and it helps build up a sense of suspense. It also lets us feel like we’re there, which is important for a survival horror film.
Much of the footage is of Gary showing off his surroundings and the mountains he hiked over, but there are some disturbing scenes as well. For instance, he shows a dead animal in the middle of the desert and mentions that snakes give warning strikes before attacking. The scene evokes an unbearable feeling of anticipation that makes the audience wonder what will happen next.
Another disturbing scene involves Gary’s hand being discovered in the back of his truck. This is a clear sign of violence and is a reminder that Gary wasn’t just a vlogger, but also a survivor. The fact that he left his hand behind and a camera that could have captured his murder is particularly upsetting.
The film also touches on some of Gary’s other interests, such as archaeology and phrenology. It’s interesting to see how he used these hobbies to make his disappearance more believable. It’s a sad ending for a man who dedicated so much of his life to helping people.
