 The story is inspired by the classic  _"Twilight Zone, The" (1959)_ (qv) episode "The Monsters Are Due On  Maple Street," which depicts the denizens of the street slowly  becoming crazy after a power failure. In fact, in the films  production notes, Matthew and Annie live on the corner of Maple and  Willoughby (another classic TZ episode, "A Stop At Willoughby"),  obvious allusions to "The Twilight Zone".