Giallo (, plural gialli) is a 20th-century Italian slasher genre of literature and film, usually with mystery elements and often with either supernatural horror or crime fiction elements. In Italy, the term simply denotes thrillers, typically of the crime fiction, mystery, and horror subgenres, regardless of the country of origin. In English-speaking countries, however, the term "giallo" is used to refer to a particular style of Italian-produced murder mystery film which often includes elements of horror fiction and eroticism (similar to the French fantastique genre). The genre began in the mid-to-late 1960s, peaked in popularity during the 1970s, and subsequently declined over the next few decades (though some examples continue to be produced). It has been considered to be a predecessor to and significant influence on, the later American slasher film genre.