# Cinematographer Robert Elswit (Magnolia, Punch Drunk Love, etc.)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinematographer-robert-elswit-magnolia-punch-drunk-love-etc/275033>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [November 16, 2004, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinematographer-robert-elswit-magnolia-punch-drunk-love-etc/275033 "2004-11-16T09:32:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinematographer-robert-elswit-magnolia-punch-drunk-love-etc/275033/1 "2004-11-16T09:32:58Z")

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I love [Robert Elswit](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005696/)’s photography in the films he has done with Paul Thomas Anderson- _especially_ [Magnolia](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0175880/) and [Punch Drunk Love](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0272338/). These films have a distinct enough look to them that I would guess that this “look” is the mark of Elswit’s work as Director of Photography.

But, other than the work he has done with Anderson (those mentioned above as well as [Hard “since when is this film called ‘Sydney’” Eight](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119256/), and [Boogie Nights](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118749/)), I haven’t seen many of the films he has worked on. Are there any you would recommend? Do they have a similar look to the Paul Thomas Anderson films?

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**Author:** ![paulberserker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@paulberserker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paulberserker)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinematographer-robert-elswit-magnolia-punch-drunk-love-etc/275033/2 "2004-11-16T09:53:17Z")

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I watched Punch Drunk Love last night. Elswits photography has a naturalistic look to it, but this seems to be a trend over the last few years - characters in shadow, ‘real’ light sources & overexposed light through windows etc. The part where Sandler and Watson are framed in the Hawaiian hotel is great though, where they meet and kiss with silhouetted people walking past (also the cover of the DVD).  
I didn’t really notice this in Hard Eight though, although the framings really good. He gets the 70s feel down pat in Boogie nights though, as well as the steadycam long shots also found in PDL. That may be a PT Anderson thing though.

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**Author:** ![paulberserker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@paulberserker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paulberserker)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cinematographer-robert-elswit-magnolia-punch-drunk-love-etc/275033/3 "2004-11-16T09:56:22Z")

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Could I say though anymore times in that reply there? You know what I mean, even if I don’t.