This book is the first full treatment of the life and cinema of American film director Paul Thomas Anderson. Beginning with his entry into filmmaking, this work spans each of his first four feature films - Hard Eight, Boogie Nights, Magnolia and Punch-Drunk Love - and follows his rise to the pinnacle of the indie circuit. As a major filmmaker in the studio independent filmmaking scene of the 1990s, Anderson has proven himself to be an exceptional storyteller and technician in the art of cinema. This work examines the continuity and similarities that exist in each of Andersons films - his themes, his vision of life and his depiction of the self. It focuses primarily on how the filmmaker uses structural elements - e.g. cinematography, music, lighting, dialogue and tone - as methods of communicating his vision. A must-have for anyone interested in his work, and a great read for those who like independent cinema!