80 YEARS IN THE MAKING!
AS THE EARTH TURNS
1938 Unreleased Silent Film by Richard H. Lyford
FIND it on Turner Classic Movies (originally Broadcast Halloween 2021!)


“Not only is it a fascinating film with a wonderful score by Ed Hartman, but the director, Richard Lyford, went on to work on special effects at Disney. Ultimately it’s a small piece of film history that I think TCM viewers will appreciate.”
Charles Tabesh, Turner Classic Movies
"One of the most exciting discoveries in the archival offerings of Seattle International Film Festival...This is a festival must-see for fans of classic film. It’s a marvelous discovery."
Seattle International Film Festival
"Had Steven Spielberg been a 16-millimeter camera-toting teen in the 1930s, his home movies might have looked like “As the Earth Turns.”
Michael Rechtshaffen, LA Times
"As The Earth Turns is a standout piece of science fiction from the Silent Age. For those with an interest in the history of special effects, it's compelling viewing...it is brilliant in what it manages to achieve with the simple tools of the time...Berger's performance, however, is by far the most impressive in the film and very different in style from what one sees in older silent moves. It's a transitional turn, big enough to work without audible words but nuanced enough that one can imagine it working with them."
Jennie Kermode, eyeforfilm.co.uk
"For film fans, this [As the Earth Turns] is like finding a lost Egyptian pyramid, after years of obscurity. It's another piece of the puzzle that will remain in motion picture history forever!"
Dana D Winseman, Beach Cities Inspirational Film Festival (Outstanding Recognition Award)
"As the Earth Turns is essential viewing."
Stefan Milne, Seattle Met
"The coolest sci-fi thriller screening at SIFF" (Seattle International Film Festival)
Crosscut.com
“The musical score...beautifully complements the film and simultaneously sounds modern and retro.”
Oddurbt.com
"As the Earth Turns is rather beautifully filmed, with the director showing a genuine eye for framing and decent camerawork, while no corners seem to be cut to bring the story to life on a budget. And couple all of that with the film's very mature pacifist message while the world was actually on the brink of war, and you got yourself a pretty remarkable movie ..."
Mike Haberfelner, searchmytrash.com
"I just watched a movie that was 80 years in the making. “As the Earth Turns” was thoroughly enjoyable and I highly recommend this film. I especially recommend it for devotees of silent movies, sci-fi fans, movie historians, and those who loved Mel Brooks’ “Silent Movie” in 1976 and “The Artist” that won five Oscars in 2012 including best picture."
Rene A. Henry, Caribbean News Global
"I have seen many films made in the 1930s and I feel that “As the Earth Turns” is the best of the lot."
Dr. Israel Drazin

"As the Earth Turns: Festivals: (2018-2020)
123 Festivals, 136 Awards/Nominations
Including 34 for best score by Composer Ed Hartman
| 52 Weeks Film Festival |
WINNER - BEST MUSICAL SCORE WINNER BEST FEATURE FILM |
| 6 on Nebraska | |
| Action on Film Megafest |
BEST SCIENCE FICTION FILM (NOMINATION) BEST PERIOD PIECE (NOMINATION) |
| American Asian Latino Film Festival NYC | |
| Amsterdam Lift-Off Film Festival Online | |
| Aphrodite Film Awards | FINALIST |
| ARFF Barcelona // International Awards | WINNER - BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM |
| Austin Indie Fest | WINNER-BEST SCI-FI |
| Beach Cities Inspirational Film Festival | WINNER-OUTSTANDING RECOGNITION |
| Bedford Falls Film Festival | BEST DIRECTOR (NOMINATION) GEORGE BAILEY AWARD (NOMINATION) |
| Blastoff |
BEST FEATURE FILM (NOMINATION) BEST SCORE (NOMINATION) BEST VISUAL FX/MAKEUP (NOMINATION) |
| Bloodstained Indie Film Festival: Sci-Fi Horror Action | |
| Blow-Up International Arthouse Film Festival | SEMI-FINALIST |
| Calcutta International Cult Film Festival | WINNER - BEST SILENT FILM |
| Canada Shorts - Canadian & International Short Film Fest. | WINNER - AWARD OF DISTINCTION |
| Caorle Film Festival | |
| Carmarthen Bay Film Festival | |
| Central States IndieFanFilmFest |
WINNER - BEST SILENT FILM BEST SOUNDTRACK (NOMINATION) |
| Chambal International Film Festival - Season 3 | |
| CKF International Film Festival | |
| Clifton Film Celebration | |
| Colortape International Film Festival | QUARTER-FINALIST |
| Columbus International Film Festival | SEMI-FINALIST |
| CrashLanded | WINNER - BEST SCI-FI |
| Creation International Film Festival | |
| Cult Critic Movie Awards |
WINNER - BEST CULT FILM WINNER - BEST FILMSCORE/SOUNDTRACK JEAN LUC GODARD AWARD WINNER 2019 (TCCC: CULT FILM / UNDERGROUND FILM / EXPLOITATION MOVIE / MIDNIGHT FILM / PARA CINEMA) |
| Depth of Field International Film Festival |
WINNER - EXCELLENCE BOTH CATEGORIES WINNER - AWARD OF OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE: DIRECTION, RICHARD LYFORD WINNER - AWARD OF EXCELLENCE: ORIGINAL SCORE, ED HARTMAN WINNER - AWARD OF EXCELLENCE: SFX VISUAL, RICHARD LYFORD WINNER - AWARD OF EXCELLENCE: ORIGINAL CONCEPT WINNER - AWARD OF OUTSTANDING EXCELLENCE: VIEWER IMPACT: ENTERTAINMENT VALUE |
| Desert Edge Global Film Festival | |
| Diamond Film Awards | |
| Dumbo Film Festival | |
| East Europe International Film Festival - Warsaw Edition | |
| Eurasia International Monthly Film Festival | FINALIST |
| Euro fest European International Film Festival |
WINNER - BEST FEATURE WINNER - BEST SCORE |
| Film Festival @ Browns Point | WINNER - PUT EYES ON WHAT’S WORKING AWARD |
| FINDECOIN – Independent International Short Film Festival | |
| Gen Con Film Festival | |
| Global Film Festival Awards |
WINNER - BEST SCI-FI SHORT WINNER - BEST ORIGINAL SCORE |
| Global Independent Film Awards | WINNER - GOLD AWARD - BEST SCORE |
| Global Indian Film Festival | WINNER - BEST FEATURE FILM |
| Global Nonviolent Film Festival | WINNER - BEST ORIGINAL PRODUCTION DESIGN |
| Hollywood Dreams International Film Festival Competition |
WINNER - BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS- FEATURE BEST SCIENCE FICTION- FEATURE (NOMINATION) BEST SCIENCE FICTION - SHORT (NOMINATION) BEST PERIOD PIECE (NOMINATION) |
| Hollywood Hills Film Awards |
WINNER - BEST FEATURE FILM WINNER - BEST SCORE |
| Hollywood Horrorfest | SEMI-FINALIST |
| Hollywood International Moving Pictures Film Festival | SEMI-FINALIST |
| Hollywood Sun Awards |
WINNER - BEST SCORE WINNER - BEST EDITING WINNER - BEST DIRECTOR WINNER - BEST VISUAL FX WINNER - BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE |
| Hollywood West Wing Film Competition |
WINNER - BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY WINNER - BEST DIRECTOR WINNER - BEST SCORE WINNER - BEST SHORT FILM (3rd PLACE WINNER) |
| Hyperwave Film Awards | SEMI-FINALIST |
| Independent Music Awards | NOMINATION: FILM/TV/GAME SCORE |
| Independent Shorts Awards | WINNER - OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT SPECIAL JURY PRIZE |
| Independent Talents International Film Festival | WINNER - MID LENGTH - FICTION - NOMINEE |
| Indie Short Fest | WINNER - OUTSTANDING ACHEIVEMENT SPECIAL JURY NOMINATION |
| IndieX Film Fest |
WINNER- BEST SET DESIGN BEST VISUAL FX (NOMINATION) BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (NOMINATION) |
| Kapow Intergalactic Film Festival |
WINNER BEST SCORE/SOUNDTRACK BEST ENSEMBLE - COMEDY/MUSICAL (NOMINATION)
|
| Kathmandu World Film Festival (KWFF) | SEMI-FINALIST |
| LA Cinefest | SEMI-FINALIST |
| LA Edge Film Awards |
WINNER - BEST EDITING WINNER - BEST SCORE 2ND RUNNER UP - BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE |
| LA Shorts Awards |
WINNER - BEST SCORE WINNER - BEST SHORT FILM (PLATINUM) |
| Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Competition |
WINNER - BEST FILM SCORE WINNER - BEST SCIENCE FICTION FILM |
| Life After Life Film Festival | HONORABLE MENTION |
| Liift India Filmotsav - World Cine Fest | FINALIST |
| Local Sightings Film Festival | |
| London International Filmmaker Festival Of World Cinema |
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (NOMINATION) BEST SOUND DESIGN (NOMINATION) |
| London International Motion Pictures Awards - LIMPA | |
| London Lift-Off Film Festival Online 2019 | |
| Los Angeles Global Lift-Off Online Festival | FINALIST |
| Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Awards | WINNER - BEST SCORE |
| Lucky Strike Film Festival | BEST SHORT (NOMINATION) |
| Mediterranean Film Festival | |
| Melbourne Global Lift-Off Online Film Festival | |
| Mindfield Film Festival - Albuquerque |
WINNER - BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY (DIAMOND) WINNER - BEST DIRECTOR (PLATINUM) WINNER - BEST SHORT FILM (SILVER) WINNER - BEST ORIGINAL SCORE (SILVER) WINNER - BEST VISUAL FX (SILVER) |
| Mindfield Film Festival - Los Angeles | |
| Munich Film Awards | WINNER - BEST FEATURE FILM |
| Musicanzone Film Festival | WINNER - BEST FEATURE FILM |
| Myrtle Beach International Film Festival | WINNER - BEST FILM PRESERVATION RUNNER UP - BEST FEATURE |
| New Era Film Festival | FINALIST |
| New Vision International Film Festival | |
| New York Global Lift-Off Online Festival | |
| Nickel Independent Film Festival | |
| Noida International Film Festival | |
| Northeast Mountain Film Festival | |
| NYC Indie Film Awards |
WINNER - BEST SHORT FILM (PLATINUM AWARD) WINNER - BEST SCORE (DIAMOND AWARD) |
| Olympus Film Festival | WINNER - BEST SCI-FI (ZEUS AWARD) |
| Oniros Film Awards |
FINALIST - BEST SOUNDTRACK WINNER - BEST SILENT FILM |
| Out of the Can Film Festival | BEST SOUNDTRACK (FINALIST) |
| Phenomenal Film Festival | |
| Pinnacle Film Awards |
WINNER - GOLD AWARD WINNER - BEST SCORE GOLD AWARD |
| Polish International Film Festival | |
| Political Edge Film Festival | |
| Rajasthan International Film Festival | |
| Realtime Internationall Film Festival | SEMI-FINALIST |
| Reel East Texas Film Festival | |
| Rocky Mountain International Film Festival | FINALIST |
| Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards | HONORABLE MENTION: SHORT FILM |
| Rosarito Film Festival | WINNER - BEST SHORT |
| Royal Wolf Film Awards |
WINNER - BEST SCI-FI SHORT WINNER PLATINUM - BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC |
| Sci-Fi Genre Lab Lift-Off Film Festival | |
| Seattle International Film Festival | |
| Shepperton Screenwriting Festival | |
| Show Low Film Festival | FINALIST |
| SIFF - Switzerland International Film Festival | |
| South Europe International Film Festival | BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM (NOMINATION) BEST SHORT FILM (NOMINATION) |
| Southern Cone International Film Festival | WINNER - BEST FICTION FEATURE FILM |
| Southern States IndieFanFilmFest |
FEATURE OR FEATURETTE SOUNDTRACK (NOMINATION) EXPERIMENTAL/ART HOUSE/FILM NOIR/SILENT FILM (NOMINATION)
|
| Speculative Film Fest | |
| Sydney Global Lift-Off Online Film Festival | |
| The European Independent Film Award | WINNER - BEST SCORE PLATINUM AWARD |
| The Norwegian International Seagull Shortfilm Festival | |
| The World Independent Cinema Awards | |
| Toronto Global Lift-Off Online Festival | |
| Tulalip Hibulb Film Festival |
WINNER - BEST FEATURE WINNER - BEST ACTING (MALE) 3RD PLACE - BEST DIRECTOR RUNNER-UP - BEST MUSICAL COMPOSITION |
| UNDO Divergent Film Awards | BEST SCI-FI-FANTASY FEATURE (NOMINATION) |
| United States Film Festival | WINNER - BEST U.S. FEATURE FILM |
| Utah Film Festival and Awards | SEMI-FINALIST |
| Virgin Spring Cinefest |
WINNER - BEST MUSICAL SCORE WINNER - NARRATIVE FEATURE GOLDEN GALAXY AWARD BEST MUSICAL SCORE (NOMINATION) GOLDEN GALAXY AWARD NARRATIVE FEATURE (NOMINATION) |
| Votkinsk International Film Festival | |
| West Coast Film Festival |
WINNER - CHAPLIN GOLD BEST SCIENCE FICTION AWARD WINNER - CHAPLIN GOLD BEST SCORE AWARD WINNER - GOLD HG WELLS AWARD |
| West Europe International Film Festival | BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM (NOMINATION) BEST SHORT FILM (NOMINATION) |
| White Rocks Film Festival | WINNER - BEST SCORE |
| White Unicorn International Film Festival |
WINNER - BEST FILM SCORE WINNER - BEST SILENT FILM |
| WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival | WINNER - REMI AWARD SCIENCE FICTION |
| WRPN.TV Short, Tight and Loose Global Film Festival Competition |
WINNER - LOOSE SHORTS - AWARD OF EXCELLENCE WINNER - LOOSE SHORTS - AWARD OF EXCELLENCE: BEST SCORE |
| Zed Fest Film Festival | SEMI-FINALIST - Zed Fest Film Festival Screenplay Competition |

BONUS FEATURES:
"Ritual of the Dead" ("Mummy" style fragment by Richard Lyford)
"The Scalpel" ("Jekyll-Hyde" style fragment by Richard Lyford)*
*In 2024 more footage was found for “The Scalpel." (https://edhartmanmusic.com/the-scalpel-1936-silent-film) The complete film is now in festivals. Future distribution is TBA.
"It Gets in Your Blood" - Documentary about Richard Lyford by Ed Hartman.
Missing Footage, Lyford Home Movie, and more...
"I cannot recommend the Blu-ray for AS THE EARTH TURNS highly enough. Not only do you get Lyford’s science fiction feature, but you also get some terrific bonuses like the remaining extant footage (at that time) of THE SCALPEL and RITUAL OF EVIL—which were newly scanned. And the film scores for all three, composed and arranged by Ed Hartman, are terrific.
And there’s more. Also on the disc is the documentary about Richard Lyford, IT GETS IN YOUR BLOOD and a fun, comedic Richard Lyford short filmed around Christmas 1944 that also features his wife Betty. Finally, there is a brief intermission for a home video titled LET’S ALL GO TO THE KITCHEN. The music is also composed by Ed and if you didn’t know it you’d swear it was vintage music from the 1960s. The arrangement and choice of instrumentation is perfectly evocative of that period."
Gary Prange, Film Producer, Horror Film Expert
DVD AVAILABLE: Amazon, Walmart, Barnes and Noble
Soundtrack Release
Press
Press Kit
Trailer
Short Intro Video (1min)
Watch the film NOW:
AMAZON PRIME GOOGLE PLAY YOUTUBE TUBI TV
VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON GROUP SCREENINGS
IMDB
Backstory
Digital Distribution: Indie Rights
(Inquiries: Private and theatrical screenings, etc.)
Trailer: "It Gets In Your Blood" - documentary about Richard Lyford.
8th Sense Productions is currently working on a biopic, “The Filmmaker.”
Poster Art for Sale (T-shirts, mugs, etc.)
Home of Richard H. Lyford Productions Film Archives
Contact: Ed Hartman, Composer/Producer
Other Richard Lyford Historical Films:
To see some of Richard Lyford's later work (Educational, Military, Commercial, etc.), Periscope Films (Film Archive and Stock Footage) has been adding to this page: https://www.youtube.com/@PeriscopeFilm/search?query=lyford
“The Titan: Story of Michelangelo” - Produced by Robert Snyder. Lyford directed and edited this Award-Winning documentary: