The term “giallo” initially refers to cheap yellow paperbacks, that were distributed in post-fascist Italy. For Italian audiences, the term is used to refer to any kind of thriller, regardless of where it was made. For English-speaking audiences, the term has over time come to refer to a very specific type of Italian-produced thriller that takes advantage of modern cinematic techniques to create a unique genre which unapologetically explores violence, sexual content, and taboo exploration. The giallo film genre proved to be a major influence on American slasher films but giallos remain stylistically different from American crime films.

The Editor is described as a tribute to the Italian giallo genre: A one-time (and now one-handed) master film editor toiling in the cinematic sweatshops of 1970s Italy becomes the prime suspect in a series of brutal murders, in this tribute to the 70′s thrillers of Mario Bava. Lucio Fulci and Dario Argento.