Nerdly » ‘Howard’s End’ 4K UHD Review

02nd Dec2025

‘Howard’s End’ 4K UHD Review

by Jason Lockard

Stars: Vanessa Redgrave, Helena Bonham Carter, Joseph Bennett, Emma Thompson, Prunella Scales, Adrian Ross Magenty, Jo Kendall, Anthony Hopkins, James Wilby, Jemma Redgrave | Written by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala | Directed by James Ivory

E.M. Forster is best known for classics like A Room with a View (1908), Howards End (1910), and A Passage to India (1924). Widely regarded as one of the finest English novelists of the Edwardian era, he was even nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature. In 1992, 82 years after its original publication, an all-star cast brought Forster’s novel to life on the big screen. Now, more than three decades later, Cohen Media Group has restored this cinematic gem, and Kino Lorber has released it in a stunning 4K/Blu-ray edition.

A saga of class relations and changing times in an Edwardian England on the brink of modernity, the film centers on liberal Margaret Schlegel (Thompson), who along with her sister Helen (Helena Bonham Carter), becomes involved with two couples: wealthy, conservative industrialist Henry Wilcox (Anthony Hopkins) and his wife Ruth (Vanessa Redgrave), and the downwardly mobile working-class Leonard Bast (Samuel West) and his mistress Jackie (Nicola Duffett). The interwoven fates and misfortunes of these three families and the diverging trajectories of the two sisters’ lives are connected to the ownership of Howards End, the dying Ruth’s beloved country home.

Howard’s End is a richly emotional and beautifully crafted adaptation, brought to life by a remarkable ensemble cast. Anthony Hopkins, Vanessa Redgrave, Helena Bonham Carter, Emma Thompson, James Wilby, and Samuel West all deliver standout performances that elevate the material with grace and depth. It’s a film filled with nuance, humanity, and quiet power. Many consider Howards End to be the finest E.M. Forster adaptation ever brought to screen… and it’s hard to disagree.

Howard’s End has been transferred to 4K in 2160p and is presented in the original 2.39:1 aspect ratio. The Audio track is an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Finally, there is the option for English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing. Honestly, watching this film in 4K is a feast for the eyes. Cohen Media Group’s restoration of this film is simply stunning – the colours are gorgeous, and the audio is clear. I was blown away by the detail that you can see in this film. You can even see the lines in people’s fingers! Now, Kino Lober’s 4K release of Howard’s End isn’t just a bones 4K release – this is a 3-disc deluxe set that includes:

4K DISC:

4K version of Howard’s End

BLU-RAY (DISC 1):

HD Version of Howard’s End
Audio Commentary by Film Critics Wade Major and Lael Lowenstein

BLU-RAY (DISC 2):

Returning to Howards End: James Ivory in conversation with Laurence Kardish
Interview with James Ivory and Vanessa Redgrave
Q&A with James Ivory
1992 Behind-the-Scenes Featurette
Building Howards End
The Design of Howards End
James Ivory Remembers Ismail Merchant
Original Theatrical Trailer
2016 Re-Release Trailer

This set is just what a classic like Howard’s Endd deserves. The simply stunning 4k restoration, the interviews, featurettes, and more make this release something extremely special. Kino Lorber and Cohen Media Group deserve a lot of credit for this release.