Film as a source for historical enquiry in education. Research methods and a case study: film adaptations of Pinocchio and their reception in Italy

This article explores the use of film in historical-educational research. The first section offers guidelines for the quantitative and qualitative analysis of film sources, focusing on the key theme of how a film is received and the degree to which it elicits the emotional involvement of audiences. Next, selected film adaptations of the children’s literature classic Pinocchio are put forward as a case study. Specifically, four different works are analysed in relation to their faithfulness to / departure from the original: Disney (1940), Comencini (1972), Benigni (2002) and Sironi (2009). The first and third of these were made for the cinema, while the second and fourth were TV dramatizations broadcast by Italy’s flagship television channel. The iscrepancy between critical opinions of these films and their reception by the public is noted. Finally, Internet audience reviews are proposed as a source that witnesses to the key role played by the emotional involvement of child spectators.