Parallel port? Who has those nowdays?
You can always buy some Atmega8's (I got 5 for $10), some max232's(even cheaper) and then you're ready to go! Well, assuming you have a serial port, or a usb-to-rs232 cable, but either way, probably more likely than this so called "parallel port" 
so I made my own serial-controlled LCD with LCD smartie for about $20, including the LCD But I guess it depends what you have laying around, and what you're willing to sacrifice 
And this way, you can unplug it from the computer, and use it as a Serial controlled LCD, via only 1 wire! (2 if you include ground, and 3 if you want to use the analog read, eeprom read/write functions, you need the RX hooked up)