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Some horror fans rank the best movies by the blood and the body count. Others artistically analyze the film to a point that the average viewer can't even understand. So what should the best horror flicks have? Everything! The finest of films should have good acting, a good story, a good scare; all of these. But it should also have something to take home afterward: something that lingers with you when the movie is over. These five are classics that lack nothing, and you'll find that they deliver every time, standing up to critics and regular viewers alike.

Frankenstein (1931, directed by James Whale)

Dr. Frankenstein: "...If I could discover just one of these things, what eternity is, for example, I wouldn't care if they did think I was crazy."

A little girl throws daisies in the water, watching them float on the surface. The monster watches, intrigued. Is there anyone who doesn't know what happens next? The fact that a movie made almost seventy years ago contains images that still linger in our minds is a testament to the brilliance of James Whale. Whale, who also made the film classics The Bride of Frankenstein and The Invisible Man, sets up scenes of stark contrast with shadows and light. The fact that this movie has a painted backdrop and still looks so stunning is a testament to Whale's camera work. Do you even recall that the movie has no score? Probably not. When each frame of a movie is this good, you don't need background music to create an atmosphere.

Frankenstein holds its own today because it speaks to universal themes. The monster is who he is. He's a product of someone else's creation who is persecuted for simply existing. Who hasn't felt like an outsider. In Frankenstein's monster, we have one of the first example of a movie monster that elicits sympathy. It's because we identify with him, and that's a hard trick to pull off: getting the audience to identify with a bolt-necked behemoth. Casting former ditch-digger Boris Karloff in his star-making role was another stroke of genius on Whale's part. The cinematography, the story and the acting all add up to a beauty of a monster movie.

Psycho (1960, directed by Alfred Hitchcock)

Norman Bates: "She just goes a little mad sometimes. We all go a little mad sometimes. Haven't you?"

So much is made of the famous shower scene that it's easy to forget that every scene in this film is a masterpiece. Every line, every character, even the musical score all slowly craft a story that still gives first-time viewers

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