In the same vein as another poster...vague childhood memory.

[Anarckitty]

It is either from the 80s or very early 90s.  For some reason I want to say that Rutger Hauer is in the film, but I looked up his filmography and didn't see anything that rang a bell.  I guess that one of the characters reminded me of him.  ANYWAYS....I remember it had something to do with either an insane asylum or a hospital.  Either something f*cked up happens in an elevator, or the elevator kills people???  That's the crappy thing about being so young when I saw it.  It's obviously a horror movie.  Hopefully someone can shed some light on this for me.   

[Ash]

Was it a movie about a killer elevator?
Or did someone just happen to die in an elevator as part of the story?

The only killer elevator movies I can think of are The Lift and Down aka The Shaft.

Here's the link to the trailer for The Shaft:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0247303/trailers
(you have to choose your media player and connection speed first)

Are either one of those the movie you're thinking of?

[DodgingGrunge]

Are you certain it was an insane asylum?  Could it have been an apartment complex or hotel filled with bad actors?  Haha.  The elevator features pretty prominently in Nightmare on the 13th Floor.  Basically, a newspaperman is researching the disappearances of several hotel guests and he discovers, via old blueprints, that there is a 13th floor that is completely ignored by the elevator (most tall buildings renumber the floors, so it goes 11, 12, 14..., but in this case, the numbers are correct and the 13th floor simply gets no service).  It's a long shot but may help:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100262/

[Anarckitty]

Thanks for the suggestions....but I'm pretty sure it's none of those.  It's horrible because I actually saw the trailer for this on something I rented....it was either on a Master's of Horror dvd or some other current horror flick I rented.  I have no idea....I do know that it was released on dvd either in 2006 or 2007, but it originally came out in the 80s or possibly very early 90s, but I'm pretty sure it's from the 80s .  I just keep getting this image of a bloody elevator scene either in a hospital or insane asylum.  If that helps any further please let me know.  It's been driving me crazy

[unluckytourist]

Okay, it may be completely off target, but for some reason, I'm thinking Bad Dreams. I remember something with an elevator in that, was set in a kind of Hospital, got re-released not long ago, is late 80's and stars some intense looking blonde dude, who could kind of pass as your Rutger Hauer. Look it up and let us know.

[Trevor]

I remember a film entitled "Phobia" (director: John Huston) which came out in 1980 and featured someone getting crushed by an elevator: this did take place in a hospital.

Could this be your film? 

[akiratubo]

I'll second Bad Dreams.

[sideorderofninjas]

Damien: Omen 2 had a scene where a doctor at a hospital was killed in an elevator. 

[JaseSF]

Hmm, wonder if it might not be THE TOWER, a television movie from 1993 starring Paul Reiser in an advanced computerized hotel that goes on the blink and seeks to destroy this newcomer (Reiser's character just got a job in the place)? The elevator in the film is a definite killer.

[zombie no.one]

lol @ 4 different films suggested so far that feature elevators killing people in hospitals...was it a trend back then?

[Anarckitty]

Bad Dreams!  Yes!  I do believe that is it.  Thanks so much guys!!

[Anarckitty]

Now I just need to figure out how to get this topic in the Solved category.  Thanks again.   

[Andrew]

Now I just need to figure out how to get this topic in the Solved category.  Thanks again.   

That's my job.  Moved and glad that unluckytourist could identify it.  We're lucky to have some folks who really know their obscure/quirky films.