Gary hinge was an outdoor enthusiast and survivalist who disappeared after hiking in the desert of Nevada. His disappearance prompted followers and online influencers to visit the desert to document his fate.
Dutch Marich’s 2021 pseudo-documentary styled horror film delivers a chilling ending that conveys the dread of found footage perfectly.
Storyline
Gary Hinge, an outdoor survival enthusiast and social media celebrity known as Scorpion Sam, disappears while hiking in the Nevada high desert. His disappearance sparks a panic in his followers and fuels conspiracy theories about aliens, witches, and ghosts. Despite the police closing the case, Gary’s followers remain obsessed with figuring out what happened to him.
A pseudo-documentary film, Horror in the High Desert features fictional talking head interviews and beautiful landscape footage to create a spooky atmosphere. The movie is reminiscent of the Blair Witch Project and other found footage films. Using this style allows the film to elicit a sense of unbearable anticipation, while also tapping into primal fears. The final reveal is both shocking and unexpected.
The film opens with footage of the desert as Gary prepares to record an episode of his popular internet podcast. During the recording, he notices a cabin in the distance and begins to feel a sense of dread. He decides to leave the scene but soon regrets it as he hears a voice that resembles his own and sees a figure in the distance. Eventually, the mysterious figure slashes Gary’s hand with an axe, and the film ends.
Three years after Gary’s disappearance, his family and friends continue to search for clues about what happened to him. Although the police have closed the case, Gary’s followers demand more evidence and start to believe that he was killed by supernatural forces. Gal Roberts and Bill Salerno, Gary’s friend and assistant, begin to dig into his social media and find a promising lead.
While the film does not provide an explanation for Gary’s disappearance, it does show his last moments before his death. The final revelation is both shocking and unexpected, but the ending does not ruin the movie for viewers. The film’s slow burn and inexperienced cast make it difficult to connect with the characters, but the ominous atmosphere and basic editing help to sell the indie mockumentary genre. Despite some negative responses, director Dutch Marich’s horror film is well worth the watch.
Cast
When outdoorsman Gary Hinge disappeared from a remote stretch of the Nevada desert in 2017, his friends were shocked. He was an experienced hiker, but he preferred to think of himself as a “survivalist.” He would go on survivalist trips with the bare minimum of supplies and rely on nature to give him what he needed. He also enjoyed building model trains. In addition to his skills as a hiker, Gary was an internet celebrity who posted videos of his adventures on his YouTube channel.
His disappearance sparked an outpouring of grief and fear, especially among his many followers. People speculated that he had been taken by aliens or perhaps by members of a secret government project. Others suggested that he had discovered a cave that contained secrets such as Area 51.
Eventually, his family filed a missing persons report and the police searched for him. They never found him, but they did find his mutilated hand clutching his camera. Forensic analysis revealed that the hand was severed while still alive.
The film takes place in 2021, just one year after the Covid-19 pandemic sent most people home to quarantine. Writer-director Dutch Marich uses a mix of talking heads, drone footage, and fictional found footage to tell the story of Gary Hinge. The movie’s pseudo-documentary style creates the feel of a reality show, and the characters rarely appear on screen at the same time.
Horror in the High Desert is a compelling thriller that manages to make use of Nevada’s sinister reputation for conspiracy theories. The gloomy landscape and the state’s penchant for hiding secrets create the perfect setting for this dark tale of adventure, murder, and revenge.
While the film does suffer from some pacing issues, it is still an entertaining ride. The acting is solid, and the plot twists are believable. The use of shaky camera work and creepy background noises adds to the suspense.
The film is well-written and executed, making it a must-see for fans of found footage movies. It is also a welcome break from the typical fare of zombie films and other mainstream horror. The final twist is a gut-punch and leaves the audience wondering what really happened to Gary Hinge.
Plot
In this faux-documentary/found footage flick, Gary Hinge, a cheerful outdoorsy survival enthusiast, stumbles across an uncanny little cabin in the middle of nowhere on one of his routine hikes through the desert. He immediately flees from the site, but is troubled and unsettled by the experience. He decides to share his story with his large online audience via an internet blog, but is met by a flurry of hostile comments that either discredit his claim entirely or demand further proof. Determined to legitimize himself, Gary returns to the desert in search of that cabin and records it this time with the intention of showing his viewers what really happened.
This bleak and foreboding movie takes advantage of the natural setting of Nevada to instill a sense of dread and awe. Long stretches of intimidating emptiness are juxtaposed with the more intimate moments of Gary’s life as he spends time with his sister and roommate. A steady flow of interviews with those close to Gary and a hired private investigator keep the plot moving forward, despite the fact that this film is primarily a horror story.
The ambiguous ending to this found footage horror flick leaves the viewer wondering exactly what caused Gary’s horrifying death. His attacker could have simply been a weird man that wanted to be left alone, but the zombie-like appearance of the killer, the stench of smoke, and the dizzying music all point towards a supernatural being guarding a sacred location. In addition, the many references to closed mine tunnels and Native American artifacts suggest that this is a spot with spiritual significance.
Director Marich does a great job of capturing the fear and suspense of the climax with shaky camera work, burned and blurred infrared imagery, and an excellent use of creepy background sounds. The result is a terrifying end that will send shivers down the spines of anyone who watches this horror flick.
Review
A slick little film that presents a genuinely interesting and suspenseful story with a terrific gut punch of an ending, Horror in the High Desert was one of my surprise finds of 2021. Director Dutch Marich (Reaptown) has crafted an effective pseudo-documentary/found footage mystery that builds a compelling story with just the right amount of tension and dread.
The film centers on Gary Hinge, an outdoor enthusiast and survivalist who vanished in the desert in New Ruth, Nevada in 2017. An avid hiker, Gary often departed his home to venture into the surrounding areas and would document his journeys with video and blog posts.
When he failed to return, his family began to worry and contacted the local police. Authorities investigated the area and discovered footprints that didn’t match any of Gary’s. They also found a vehicle in the vicinity that had been abandoned by a previous occupant. Initially, authorities thought Gary had simply left the truck and gone on another adventure, but they soon realized something much more sinister was taking place.
As the investigation continued, it became clear that there was a ghost in the area. Using a combination of made up talking heads, gorgeous landscape shots and the found footage narrative technique popularized by The Blair Witch Project, Horror in the High Desert is able to evoke unbearable anticipation and tap into our instinctive fear of not being able to see.
The interview segments and video footage of Gary’s final moments are creepy and effective. The shaky camera work and music played backwards create the perfect atmosphere of terror. And when we finally get to see Gary’s final fate, it is as chilling as it is believable.
As the film comes to a close, Gary’s sister is shown recording a message on her phone. She claims he has been taken by a supernatural figure and that it is now her job to protect him. The ambiguous ending allows viewers to decide for themselves whether Gary was actually killed by the ghost or if he had simply disappeared from his campsite.
