THE ABYSMAL INVADERS (1929) – Written by Edmond Hamilton. This is a nice mish-mash of elements that are part Creature Feature, part Doctor Who and part Jurassic Park. Hamilton gets bashed as a hack but his stories are harmless fun.
The hero of this tale is Professor Morton, an eminent biologist. He is doing field work in a Southern Illinois swamp when, from caverns beneath the swamp an army of dinosaurs comes pouring out. AND ALL OF THEM ARE BEING RIDDEN BY HUMANOID LIZARDS WHO WIELD RAY-GUNS!
Pteradactyls provide these invaders with their own Air Force and humans are driven before them. The city of Brinton is reduced to a virtual ruin before the onslaught of these Lizard-men.
Professor Morton’s colleague Dr Rowan (It’s Rowan and Morton’s Laugh-In instead of Rowan and Martin) is distressed that Morton has gotten lost in the chaos. He makes his way back to the swamp where he encounters the professor.
Morton tells him that he was captured by the Lizard-men and taken into their subterranean homeland. Ever since the Mesozoic Period these beings have lived beneath the Earth, prospering and developing advanced technology far beyond anything that the surface world possesses.
They’ve been waiting for the right time to attack and decided that they should strike now before the surface world’s science can get any closer to their own. Professor Morton escaped thanks to the careless contempt with which the Lizard-men treated him.
Rowan and Morton bet their sweet bippies that the invasion needs nipped in the bud. Rowan’s got the yo-yo and Morton’s got the string, as it were, and they surreptitiously make their way back down to the subterranean world.
The Lizard-men’s technology is verrryy interesting … but stupid, because a deux ex machina switch is all that needs tripped to unleash the total destruction of the underground world and their surface armies. “D’OH!”
Our heroes make their way back to the surface world, which is now safe from Lizard-men trying to sock it to them with their ray-guns and dinosaur mounts. +++
FOR TEN MORE EXAMPLES OF ANCIENT SCIENCE FICTION CLICK HERE: https://glitternight.com/2014/03/03/ten-neglected-examples-of-ancient-science-fiction/
FOR WASHINGTON IRVING’S 1809 depiction of an invasion from the moon click here: https://glitternight.com/2014/05/05/ancient-science-fiction-the-men-of-the-moon-1809-by-washington-irving/
© Edward Wozniak and Balladeer’s Blog 2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Edward Wozniak and Balladeer’s Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Balladeer's Blog 
More good stuff! I han’t seen this one, but it’s on my list now. I’m spending the year in film. I’m hoping to reach 500 films in 2017 I’m on pace to do so, at 280ish current;ly. However, I’ve watch films on my days off work, vacation days, when I can’t sleep, after work, etc. I have a week in the near future I’m dedicating to silent films. I hope I can find access to this film. Always fun catching up with your blog. Take care…
Thank you very much for the kind words! Good luck on reaching 500 before the year is over!
This one was just one of Edmond Hamilton’s stories, but I agree it would have kicked butt as a silent film.
Rats! The story is intriguing! Oh well, I’m still hunting for silent films for an early August splurge. Take care and peace out…
Thank you! You too!
Damn right! Loved the Doctor Who references!
Thank you very much!