"The special edition, that's the one I wanted out there. The other movie, it's on VHS, if anybody wants it...I'm not going to spend the, we're talking millions of dollars here, the money and the time to refurbish that, because to me, it [the original OT] doesn't really exist anymore. It's like this is the movie I wanted it to be, and I'm sorry you saw half a completed film and fell in love with it."
- George Lucas
Riiiiiiight...
I doubt tolkein would hold the same attitude.