Does anyone know WHY Lucas stubbornly clings to his decision? Is he embarrassed about the original release or is he just being that controlling of his creation? or is it something else?
I find his decision to date quite puzzling on the surface of it.
Spite. He’s pissed the fans didn’t take to his prequels the way they did the original films. So he denies them the originals they hold dear. That’s my take.
He also believes the original versions came up short (for whatever reasons) and wants to improve them, but that’s no excuse for trying to bury them. All versions can coexist as other box sets (CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, ALIEN, BLADE RUNNER, etc) have demonstrated.