▁novel ▁which ▁inspired ▁Mus chi etti , ▁was ▁when ▁Bill ▁w onders ▁if ▁Pen ny wise ▁is ▁e ating ▁children ▁simply ▁because ▁that ' s ▁what ▁we ' re ▁told ▁mon sters ▁do , ▁in ▁stating , ▁" It ' s ▁a ▁tiny ▁bit ▁of ▁information , ▁but ▁that ▁st icks ▁with ▁you ▁so ▁much . ▁Maybe ▁it ▁is ▁real ▁as ▁long ▁as ▁children ▁believe ▁in ▁it . ▁And ▁in ▁a ▁way , ▁Pen ny wise ' s ▁character ▁is ▁motiv ated ▁by ▁surv ival . ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁be ▁alive ▁in ▁the ▁imagination ▁of ▁children , ▁he ▁has ▁to ▁keep ▁killing ." ▁While ▁Mus chi etti ▁acknowled ges ▁it ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁horror ▁film , ▁he , ▁too , ▁felt ▁that ▁it ' s ▁not ▁simply ▁just ▁that : ▁" It ' s ▁a ▁story ▁of ▁love ▁and ▁friendship ▁and ▁a ▁lot ▁of ▁other ▁beautiful ▁emot ions ." ▁ ▁In flu ences ▁ ▁Director ▁Andy ▁Mus chi etti ▁said ▁influ ences ▁on ▁It ▁included ▁the ▁" vis cer al " ▁authority ▁of ▁horror ▁cinema : ▁The ▁How ling ▁( 1 9 8 1 ), ▁The ▁Th ing ▁( 1 9 8 2 ), ▁and ▁Near ▁Dark ▁( 1 9 8 7 ). ▁He ▁also ▁spoke ▁of ▁the ▁influ ential ▁contributions ▁of ▁C live ▁B ark er ▁and ▁John ▁Car p enter . ▁He ▁c ited ▁the ▁influence ▁of ▁Steven ▁Spiel berg ▁in ▁" the ▁way ▁of ▁understanding ▁story ▁and ▁film making , ▁because ▁he ▁has ▁such ▁a ▁strong ▁emot ional ▁element ▁to