The toothy villain of “Jaws” terrified audiences in 1975. Offscreen, the hit film — which is celebrating its 50th anniversary — impacted sharks in unexpected ways.

Friday marks 50 years since the movie "Jaws" was released in theaters. The movie transformed cinema. It also had a huge impact on how people view sharks,

When “Jaws” debuted in U.S. theaters 50 years ago today, it helped launch a new era in American movies. Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster about a bloodthirsty great white terrorizing a beach town also stoked fear and fascination, exacting a toll on sharks.