After Gary Hinge doesn’t return home from a hike, his sister alerts the police and a search begins. When his truck is found nearby, fingerprints that don’t match Gary’s are discovered and the investigation takes a turn. Dutch Marich’s pseudo-documentary uses made-up talking heads and the found footage narrative technique popularized by The Blair Witch Project to convey a sense of dread. Although Marich does not explicitly state it, his film seems to be inspired by the disappearance of YouTuber Kenny Veach in 2014.
What Happened To Gary Hinge?
In July of 2017, amateur hiker Gary Hinge disappeared while hiking in the Nevada high desert. His disappearance prompted a search by police, private investigators, and local residents. Despite finding his truck, they were unable to find him. His severed hand, clutching a camera with disturbing images, was found later. Many people speculated that he had been murdered by cannibals, ghosts, aliens, or other supernatural beings. This faux documentary film follows the investigation into the disappearance of outdoor enthusiast and survivalist Gary Hinge (Eric Mencis). It uses fictional talking head interviews and gorgeous landscape footage to build suspense. The movie also incorporates the found footage narrative technique popularized by The Blair Witch Project to evoke uncontrollable anticipation and tap into our instinctive fear of being unable to see in darkness.
The film begins with a missing person report filed by the police regarding Gary’s hike in the Great Basin Desert in late July 2017. The report states that Gary left his house in Ruth, Nevada, and set out to visit a cabin that he had previously visited on an expedition. He was expected to return home in two days, but when he failed to do so, his housemate Simon Rodgers called the police.
Upon hearing the news of Gary’s disappearance, Gal Roberts (Suziey Block), an investigative reporter and podcaster, starts looking into the case. She discovers that there have been multiple social media accounts that claim to have traveled to the same area where Gary was last seen. She suspects that there may be a connection between these reports and Gary’s disappearance. While investigating Gary’s disappearance, Gal meets with a local resident named David Morales (David Morales). The pair discuss their theories on what could have happened to Gary. David believes that a supernatural creature could have attacked Gary. He also cites the fact that there are reports of a strange smokey smell and a feeling of impending doom as possible evidence that something supernatural is to blame for Gary’s disappearance.
Is Horror In The High Desert Based On A Real Story?
The movie is based on the disappearance of amateur hiker Gary Hinge in July 2017. While hiking to a remote cabin in the Great Basin Desert, he went missing. When he failed to return home, his friends and family reported him as a missing person. The film explores the reasons behind his disappearance, including speculations about Area 51, atomic testing, local Indigenous rituals and satanic groups. The movie is shot in the style of a documentary, with interviews and footage interspersed. While sceptical at first, I found the format worked really well and the movie was very gripping. I would definitely recommend it!
Is Horror In The High Desert A Good Movie?
Horror in the High Desert is a great example of how found footage films can be used to deliver a really effective thriller. Director Dutch Marich delivers a movie that’s part mockumentary, and it works perfectly to build up a terrifying sense of dread. The final act is incredibly tense, and the film does a fantastic job of creating a creepy atmosphere with its night vision camera effects. The movie also does a great job of adding depth to the story by using multiple perspectives and adding some interesting twists.
Throughout the movie, we see clips of various people talking about Gary and what they think might have happened to him. While some of the interviews do drag a little, they eventually lead to some pretty chilling revelations. One of the most interesting things is that it seems like someone might have been stalking Gary. This is revealed through a series of videos that are sent to Minerva, and it adds a whole new layer of tension and fear to the story. The movie also does a great job of building up the character of Gary. We learn that he’s an adrenaline junkie who loves trains and is an incredibly smart guy. He also lives with his sister and he never tells anyone where he’s going on these survival trips, so nobody knows where he’s gone when he disappears.
Conclusion
As the film continues, it becomes clear that something is hunting Gary in the desert. This is revealed when he spots a disfigured man in the distance while shooting his camera with infrared. He eventually tries to chase him down, but the masked figure manages to slash his hand with a machete before he can run away. While Horror in the High Desert does have some pacing issues, it’s still a pretty good thriller overall. It’s a lot of fun to watch and it does a great job of using the mockumentary format to deliver some really effective scares. The final act is also incredibly tense and it does a great job of leaving the audience wondering about what happened to Gary.
