“La La Land” fans will soon be able to once again ride the iconic Angels Flight Railway that was featured in the Oscar-winning musical.
The historic railway, which connects Bunker Hill to downtown Los Angeles, will reopen operation later this year, officials announced Wednesday, according to the Associated Press.
Angels Flight Railway was featured in a “La La Land” montage during which Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling’s characters dreamily wandered around the city, visiting other iconic sites like the Lighthouse Cafe and Pasadena.
“As anyone who has seen ‘La La Land’ can tell you, dreams do still come true here in Los Angeles,” Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti said at a news conference in support of the reopening, describing the new partnership as “the longest journey to the shortest ride ever.”
Garcetti added that prior issues are now being resolved and the railroad’s antique wooden cars, named Sinai and Olivet (on which Stone and Gosling kissed) should be back in service by Labor Day.
Having been a symbol of L.A. since 1901, the tram closed in 2013 after a derailment following a series of safety problems including one in which a passenger died in 2001.
However, thanks to a plan approved in January by the California Public Utilities Commission, safety upgrades are coming. A private company, ACS Infrastructure Development, Inc., has joined a 30-year agreement with the city to beef up safety and to maintain and operate the railway. Some of the upgrades include an emergency ramp and changes to the balancing system.
At the beginning of the 20th century, it only cost a penny to ride Angels Flight, and the railway ferried fashionable Angelenos from Bunker Hill to downtown.
Currently, a 153-step stairway is the only option to get from the hill to the popular Grand Central Market. The tram has had an on-again, off-again relationship with the city, closing in 1969 and reopening in 1996. It closed in 2001 after a fatal mechanical failure, opened again in 2010, and closed again in 2013.
17 Oscars Stories You Probably Missed in #EnvelopeGate: (Photos)
"La La Land" being announced as the wrong Best Picture Winner wasn't the only big news of Oscars night.
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Meryl Streep's Dress Drama
On Friday, Karl Lagerfeld told media that Meryl Streep canceled the dress he was making for her because she found someone "who will pay" her to wear his dress (Chanel doesn't pay celebrities to wear the clothes).
The following day, the actress issued a statement denying his allegations, saying Lagerfeld "defamed" her to "overwhelm my appearance at the Oscars."
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The Records That Fell
Sunday was a historic night for the Oscars -- For example, Damien Chazelle became the youngest Best Director winner ever for "La La Land," and Viola Davis ("Fences") became the first black actor to win three major acting awards -- the Tony, Emmy and Oscar.
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Jimmy Kimmel's "Lion King" Moment With Sunny Pawar
"Lion" star Sunny Pawar is probably the cutest thing to hit the Oscars, and during the show, host Jimmy Kimmel picked up Pawar and held him up to recreate "The Lion King" moment.
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Jimmy Kimmel had Candy Fall From the Ceiling
No homemade sandwiches this year -- when Kimmel noted that none of the stars in attendance had candy, he called a special air-drop of candy.
"If you close your eyes and wish very hard," Kimmel said. "Little bags of Red Vines and Junior Mints will appear from the sky raining down on you."
One of the biggest segments of the show featured Kimmel bringing in a Hollywood tour bus full of people to hang out in the front row with stars such as Denzel Washington and Nicole Kidman.
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Kimmel Tweeting Trump
Kimmel took a break mid-ceremony to tweet at Donald Trump and find out why the U.S. President had not trashed the show on Twitter ... yet.
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The In Memoriam Segment Was Screwed Up As Well
The “In Memoriam” segment of Sunday’s show included a tribute to costume designer and four-time nominee Janet Patterson — but ran a photo of the very-much-still-alive Australian producer Jan Chapman by mistake.
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Kimmel Gets Slammed For Mocking Asian Woman's Name
Kimmel invited a bunch of unknowing tourists into the Dolby Theatre, and when Kimmel asked an Asian woman for her name, she told him her name was Yulree, which rhymes with “jewelry.”
Kimmel responded, “your name is Yulree? I know it rhymes with jewelry! That’s some name!” Then, he asked her husband what his name was, to which he responded, “Patrick.”
“See, that’s a name!” said Kimmel.
“It’s not the #Oscars unless they make fun of Asians somehow. This time, it’s Yulree’s name. Not really laughing,” wrote one Twitter user.
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Shirley MacLaine Appearance
The 82-year-old screen legend appeared on Sunday’s Academy Awards with Charlize Theron, following an appreciation of MacLaine’s classic film “The Apartment.”
Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre erupted in applause for MacLaine, and she rewarded them with a charm offensive that eventually made her a top trending topic on Twitter.
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Asghar Farhadi Denounces Trump's Travel Ban During Acceptance Speech
Iran’s “The Salesman” took home the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, as expected, but director Asghar Farhadi decided to avoid the long trip from Tehran to Los Angeles. Not out of disrespect to the academy, but because he felt disrespected by the new administration.
“I’m sorry I’m not with you tonight,” he continued. “My absence is out of respect for the the people of my country and those of the other six nations who have been disrespected by the inhumane law that bans entry of immigrants to the U.S.”
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"O.J.: Made in America" Is Longest Winning Movie Ever
“O.J.: Made in America” took home the Oscar in the Best Documentary Feature category — it is now the longest ever film to win an Oscar.
Previous record-holder was the then-Soviet Union film "War and Peace" which ran at 431 minutes. "Made in America" clocks in at 467 minutes.
As far as the Academy is concerned, the movie’s makeup effects were good enough to beat out competitors “Star Trek: Beyond” and “A Man Called Ove.”
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Kevin O'Connell Finally Won After Being Nominated 20 Times
The 21st time was the charm last night for sound editor Kevin O’Connell, who finally took home the Oscar for Best Sound Mixing for his work on the Mel Gibson-directed biopic “Hacksaw Ridge.”
The Cute Moment Between Mahershala Ali and Jeff Bridges
Mahershala Ali beat Jeff Bridges in the Best Supporting Actor category.
Bridges, who played a grizzled Texas ranger in “Hell of High Water,” won a Best Actor award for “Crazy Heart” in 2009. This was the first nomination for Ali, who played drug dealer and father figure Juan in “Moonlight.”
As Ali passed Bridges on his way onstage to accept the award, Bridges reached out and patted him on the arm. Ali stopped, turned, and shook hands with the seven-times nominated veteran.
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"Hidden Fences" Flub Resurfaces
Fictional Best Picture contender “Hidden Fences” popped up at the Oscars after first showing up at the Golden Globes. This time, it was People Magazine editor and host of ABC's red carpet pre-show Jess Cagle who said it.
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