A recreational hiker named Gary Hinge went missing in the Nevada desert in July 2017. His housemate alerted police after he did not return, and they began investigating. Horror in the High Desert is a pseudo-documentary that follows the disappearance of outdoor enthusiast and survivalist Gary Hinge (Eric Mencis). The film employs fictional talking heads, beautiful landscape footage, and the found footage narrative style made famous by The Blair Witch Project to create unnerving anticipation and tap into our instinctive fear of the unknown.
What Happened To Gary Hinge?
A popular YouTube vlogger and survivalist named Gary Hinge went missing in the Nevada high desert. The film’s pseudo-documentary format, drone footage, and fictional found footage work together to elicit an unbearable sense of anticipation and fear. The film begins with a police “missing person” report on Gary, who disappeared in late July 2017 while hiking in the Great Basin Desert. He set out from his home in Ruth, Nevada, toward a cabin he had visited on another hike. When he failed to return within two days, his housemate alerted the authorities. Gary’s sister, Beverly Hinge, also contacted the authorities.
Investigators soon became aware of Gary’s YouTube vlog channel, where thousands of fans followed his adventures. He used the pseudonym “Gary Hinge” and spoke of his frequent survival quests in the desert, often taking days to travel to remote locations. In one video, Gary noted that he was going to revisit the cabin he had spoken about on his vlog. Having been cyber-bullied by his followers, Gary explained that he wanted to prove to them that the cabin was real. He promised to give a full tour of the place and show how scary it was.
The first recorded footage of Gary’s trip to the enigmatic cabin shows him arriving there at night. He is able to find many indications that he has been there before, and he states that he can smell smoke in the air just like last time. The next recordings are bits of infrared footage, and they begin with a frightened Gary stating that he is already very close to the enigmatic structure and that he can hear chanting from inside. While the film’s use of drone footage and fake found footage is effective at eliciting tension, the narrative does fall flat in some parts. The film’s lack of a more personal connection to Gary’s story and the lack of character development, especially that of Beverly, make it difficult to care about what happens to him. However, the film’s climax is effective in conveying an intense sense of dread, and it does manage to evoke some genuine horror.
Was Gary Hinge Ever Found?
Horror in the High Desert (2021) is a pseudo-documentary style found footage mystery horror movie that centers on the disappearance of a man named Gary Hinge. A quiet and solitary person, Gary was an outdoor adventurer who specialized in hiking and survival missions. He documented his exploits on a popular video blog under the moniker Scorpion Sam, and built up a dedicated following. Although he often felt isolated and secluded, Gary was an ambitious person who wanted to share his adventures with the world. During one of his trips, Gary Hinge reported that he had discovered a cabin in the desert that gave him a feeling of dread. However, his followers were skeptical of his claim and challenged him to come back to the place to see for himself. Eventually, Gary disappeared and his body was never located. Several weeks later, campers in the area discovered a backpack that contained Gary’s belongings. Inside the pack was his cleanly severed hand, holding his camera.
After discovering the hand, police investigated and found that it was indeed Gary’s, despite having been removed from its socket. Forensic analysis revealed that the hand was detached from Gary within a five-week period. While the film doesn’t have any concrete proof, it is widely believed that Gary Hinge was murdered. This is especially true considering that the hand was found within a five-week period after he disappeared. In addition, the film reveals that Gary was a lone traveler who didn’t have any family nearby to help him in case of an emergency.
While the film isn’t based on a real event, the story has some similarities to the disappearance of hiker Kenny Veach. Like Gary Hinge, Kenny Veach was an outdoor adventurer who shared his journeys on YouTube. Veach was an avid cave explorer who claimed to have discovered a hidden cave that he described as having a terrifying atmosphere. He also said that the walls of the cave seemed alive and that they were swaying when he was inside. Similarly to what happened to Gary Hinge, Veach mysteriously disappeared while exploring the desert and was never seen again.
Was Gary Hinge Killed?
Gary Hinge was an avid hiker who often went on survival quests in the desert areas of Nevada. He posted videos of these expeditions on his YouTube channel where he had a large following. After he claimed to have found a mysterious cave in the desert, he was pressured by his followers to revisit the location and prove that his claim was true. He did so and was apparently attacked by a deformed monster, which he claims in one of his videos to have been inside the cave. Despite the fact that his body was never found, his severed hand was discovered by campers nearby. This leads many people to speculate that Hinge was killed by a supernatural creature or possibly even a human. His admirers, who referred to him as Scorpion Sam, also suggested that aliens, witches, and ghosts could have played a role in his disappearance.
When the police start investigating the case, they contact Gary’s sister and get her to come down to the station. When she arrives, she is told that a couple who were camping in the area saw Gary’s backpack being played on a shovel at their campsite. They also noticed a strange smell that seemed to be coming from the cave. The detectives then contact Gary’s girlfriend, who tells them that he was planning to visit the area again but did not say anything about it to her or anyone else. They begin to check out the campsite and find a number of things that Gary had left behind, including a camera and other equipment. They also notice a distinct burning smell.
After a while, the investigators realize that the campers had seen something strange in the cave. They decide to go in and investigate the matter further. Once they enter the cave, they discover that it is indeed a mysterious place filled with bones and other various objects. Gary’s video footage reveals him to be very frightened as he records what is going on. He says that he is close to the cabin and that it seems as if there is smoke. He also hears a chanting voice that seems to be distorted.
Is Gary Hinge Dead?
Horror in the High Desert, released in March of 2021, is a faux documentary/found footage flick that centers around Gary Hinge and his mysterious disappearance in the Nevada high desert. Its pseudo-documentary format utilizes interviews of those close to Gary (his sister Beverly and roommate Simon) and a PI (William “Billy” Salreno) to bring the film into focus, adding credibility and heightened anxiety to the story. The plot begins with Gary vlogging from his home about an experience on one of his hikes in the desert where he discovers a little cabin in the middle of nowhere and claims that it’s haunted. He goes on to say that he feels a sensation of impending doom whenever he’s near it, which causes him to leave the area. He then writes that he has since discovered that it’s the site of a Native American burial ground, which further entices him to return and explore the mystery.
In subsequent videos, Gary is seen narrating from his truck, saying that he is a survivalist and is determined to revisit the strange little cabin. He claims that he can smell smoke from the place, which makes him feel even more uneasy. He also says that he feels a presence in the nearby mountains and hears chanting in the distance. Once again, Gary ventures into the desert to visit the unsettling little cabin and this time he brings along his camera in an effort to prove that the place is haunted. He is soon met by a man who slices off his hand.
Conclusion
After this, several of Gary’s online followers demand that he reveal the location of the cabin for fear of enticing others into such a dangerous place. He is reluctant to do so, but is convinced by his PI Billy that it’s necessary. The following videos reveal that Gary does eventually make it back to the cabin and is able to enter, but shortly after he does a dark figure approaches him. Gary screams for help, but it’s too late. The film then cuts to a shot of his severed hand, which is shown to the audience on a laptop screen.
