Ang Lee's The Ice Storm is a film of striking significance, which
achieved widespread critical acclaim for its well crafted and superbly
acted study of suburban morality in 1970s America. For the film,
composer Mychael Danna created one of the most distinctive scores of the
1990s, one that constantly challenges perceptions of the form and
function of film music. In Mychael Danna's The Ice Storm: A Film Score
Guide, Miguel Mera explores the music and sound Danna uses in his score,
investigating the narrative, structural, and aesthetic themes of the
film and illustrating the techniques and stylistic features central to
Danna's music. Mera carefully examines the collaborative processes that
influenced the score's development, describing the significance of the
composer's relationships with the director, producer, editor,
orchestrator, and sound designers to the evolution of the score and
demonstrating how the politics of filmmaking interact with creativity.
This seventh volume in Scarecrow's Film Score Guide series also includes
a biography of Danna and a complete analysis of the full soundtrack
considering the sound design, pre-existent pop songs, and the
specifically arranged song by David Bowie in conjunction with Danna's
fascinating score, making this essential reading for film music scholars
and students.